Blue Moon
by Luna Cain7
Summary: "Bid farewell to following the law, you are the law now." In the early 1700's, Aro gains one of his most valuable Volturi members, only to find that his desired has an unexpected companion. But she proves her worth and becomes more essential to the guard than Aro thought, developing a passion for the law and a fierce love for the ones important to her. Alec/OC
1. Return to a New Life

Blue Moon

Chapter One

_Ireland_, _1678_

Xenophilius opened the wooden door, located at the back and hidden in the bottom of the castle. The door creaked open then banged against the stone wall as it reached its maximum. Xeno jumped and grasped the door. The light offered in the early morning was blue, making the world feel cold. The air was thick with fog in the beautiful garden outside.

Xenophilius stood there, considering. He stared absently at the gloomy, thin outlines of leafless tress in the forest beyond the castle wall.

Then he stepped out.

He crept around the outside of the castle. His red eyes darted around, his body tensed in anticipation. Finally he reached the courtyard. The garden beds were filled with roses, red, white and pink. Their petals holding heavy droplets of dew. Xeno glanced back at the dirty windows, peering into them as far as he could. As much as his Vampire sight would allow, he didn't see any movement behind them. At the end of the courtyard were the stone steps cut into the stone wall bordering the castle's landscape.

Xeno quickly descended them.

He pulled away bare branches as he ran in the shadow of the castle wall. The ground was uneven, long waves of green grass leading into an endless field as the wall turned a corner.

Xeno ran across the field as fast as he could, covering the distance quickly. The stone castle, nestled into the hill, was the smallest he'd ever seen it, though there was still no denying its magnificence.

The morning brightened as Xeno stood at a crossroad. The tracks had been created by carriages and wagons, stretching in straight lines across the fields as far as he could see.

Hands on hips, he looked from left to right. A strand of his white, wavy hair, that brushed above his shoulders, fell forward from behind his ear as he twisted his head.

He decided on a path and continued to walk, his pace more relaxed.

He could feel the magnet between her and himself. He could feel its pull, dragging him forwards. The magnet of love.

He picked up his pace to close the distance faster, but the field wouldn't end.  
"Luna," he whispered. "Luna. Where are you?"

A light drizzle began to fall from the grey clouds rumbling overhead, making the world hazy. Xeno's clothes began to stick to him. A simple, white shirt with a large, red coat and red three-quarter length pants that had long white socks disappearing under the hem.

"Luna."

He walked in his black boots further into the country side.

Luna looked up from her work. She could've sworn she'd heard her name whispered. She looked over at Taildoe. The house-elf was busy sweeping the floor.

Luna's quill dripped onto her sheet and she quickly placed back it into her ink.  
Xeno was descending a hill sprouting long green grass. There was a thin line on the horizon, the forest.

"Luna, where are you?"

Luna's head snapped up to the ceiling. The wood only groaned, the mobiles swaying gently.

The wind picked up outside in a sudden gust. The trees rocked and the house shuddered. '_Where_ _are_ _you_,' the wind had said, Luna was sure of it.

She got up from the table and went to the small window. The clouds were drizzling and the morning was becoming overcast.

The wind blew again. '_Where_ _are_ _you?_'

Luna looked around, uncertain.

"I'm here," she whispered.

'_Where_ _are_ _you_?' The wind blew again.

"I'm here," Luna said louder.

Taildoe looked up started. "That you are, Miss Cain."

Xeno ran through the forest. The magnet was becoming stronger, her nearness making him desperate. "Luna, I'm coming," he said.

'_I'm_ _coming_,' the wind said.

"I'm coming?" Luna said, confused.

'_I'm_ _coming_.'

"I'm coming," Luna promised.

"Miss Cain, why do speak to the air?" Taildoe asked, very concerned.

"I'm coming," Luna called before running outside.

"Miss Cain!" Taildoe called, but Luna was already running down the garden path.  
Luna hurriedly opened the short, iron gate. Her heart thudded in nervousness and she felt hot despite the wet and cold weather. She tore out onto the field and began running, which was difficult in her dress. It was long sleeved and the skirt was long hemmed. It had a high neck hole with a lace collar. The pattern had thick, swirling, blue lines all over and the background, barely visible under the pattern, a dark grey.

Luna continued to run, even when the figure she anticipated couldn't be seen. Luna determinedly charged on. She suddenly tripped but hastily got up and continued on.

Xeno was finally reaching the end of the forest. He could see the light at the end of the trees. He quickly covered the space and stepped onto the field.

The rain covered him quickly but he didn't seem to notice. He peered around the field and spotted a large speck in the distance, his home. He ventured forward.  
Strands of blonde hair had escaped from Luna's braided bun. She slowed her run and came to a stop she wasn't aware of. In the distance she saw red. The figure was approaching quickly. Luna ran faster, to get closer to confirm her greatest wish.

Soon Luna could see the white, wavy hair brushing above the shoulders, and she laughed in relief.

"Dad!" she called. She felt giddy with happiness and stumbled on the uneven ground, making her look a bit drunk.

"Luna!" Xeno called. He sprinted as fast as he could go, covering the distance in a blur.

He embraced her in a spin, Luna clutching to him for her life, then a sharp pain stung her neck that she gasped and flinched in his grip. That was when she noticed how strong he was.

Xeno gently returned her to the ground. Luna looked up at him, into eyes as red as the blood that her thumping heart was pumping. He looked tired, and worried, and sorry.

The sting in her neck intensified slightly. Instead of the nerves calming, they felt like they were getting warm. Her neck was buzzing in a numbly warm sensation that made her head feel lighter than it should.

'_Oh_ _no_,' Luna thought, '_I've_ _lost_ _my_ _mind_, _literally_.'

Her neck got warmer, and the warmth spread down her side and entered her left arm. The heat continued to grow.

'_No_, _this_ _is_ _uncomfortable_ _now_.'

And still it got hotter until a feeling of some small bug with sharp teeth was nibbling at the skin on her neck. Luna instinctively wiped at her neck, only to feel a large, bumpy oval imprinted on her skin like Braille.

Xeno stroked the other hand with his thumb as he watched her nervously.

Luna could feel her muscles tightening and tensing to stop her from crying out as the stinging grew and moved in deeper.

'_Too_ _hot_, _much_ _too_ _hot_!'

Her eyes blurred and her breathing deepened. Her Father's figure became blurred but she squeezed his hand tighter.

Now it felt like an acid, running thickly and slowly with her blood, burning anything away to nothing as it passed.

It had consumed her entire neck and she could feel the warmth spreading to her right arm.

Her heartbeat became loud like her heart had moved into her head to escape the fire. She couldn't see and could barely think, could barely register what it meant when she felt grass against her hands and face.

Her sight was replaced by visions. Visions of fire spreading across skin and flesh, turning it to ash and drying out the blood.

A young girl ran through a corridor.

Her heartbeat dominated her hearing, beating loudly and slowly, as if it were the rhythm pacing the acid's progress. And that's when she realised it was. The fire was travelling in her blood.

The girl got deeper into the corridor.

The warmth was spreading through her stomach, sparing her chest but targeting her legs. Luna felt as if she were made of paper, the fire destroying her so easily and burning her into nothing.

The girl reached the end of the corridor and turned through a door.  
The background was blindingly white but the visions were perfectly clear.  
Mum and Dad were hugging, then Dad disappeared and Mum slowly turned black, disintegrating, her face contorted and frozen in pain, just like what was happening to her. Maybe that's where she was going, to Mum.  
But a black cross drifted across her vision, then was gone and replaced by a boney horse with tight, black skin stretched across it with brilliant, thin wings, Luna recognised as a Thestral. Dad with tan skin and hazel eyes slipping out the front door with a bulky bag. Then a bright light exploded and a blue rabbit, made of mist and floating in the air bounded across her vision. As soon as it moved away a navy blue flag flapped, embodied on it a black raven perched on a helmet, capital letters spelling the word 'Ravenclaw' at the bottom.  
Uncle Lys waiting for her at platform nine and three quarters. Luna standing on a lone stool in the middle of the school hall. Xeno was holding a baby Luna. Slowly Luna changed by years and she came to a stop at nine, then Xeno disappeared. The background darkened, before turning into a blood red. The blood in the veins were pulsed by the weakly beating heart. Everything was slowing, fading, shutting down, becoming nothing.

A strong male voice echoed in her head on top of the heart's last beats.

_'Do_ _you_ _know_ _where_ _the_ _wicked_ _go_ _after_ _death_, _Miss_ _Cain_?'

'_They_ _go_ _to_ _hell_.' Luna's small voice replied simply.

'_And_ _what_ _is_ _hell_?' The man continued.

_'A_ _pit_ _full_ _of_ _fire_.'

'_And_ _shall_ _you_ _like_ _to_ _fall_ _into_ _this pit, and be burning there for all eternity?'_

_'No, Sir.'_

_'Then what must you do to avoid it?'_

_'I must stay healthy...'_

The beating of the heart stopped.

_'And must never die_,' the young girl finished.

The eyelids snapped open to reveal a pair of bright red eyes beneath.

Xeno looked up to the second story above him.

A foot, the skin covering it a smooth, perfect white, walked along the floor cautiously. A floorboard gave a tiny moan as the weight turned towards the stairs.

Xeno walked from the kitchen, heading to the stairs. He kept his stride confident, but his eyes betrayed his nervous emotions.

Luna carefully and gently hopped down each step. Xeno stopped short, and leaned against an armchair, a part of the lounge that sat in front of the staircase.

Luna slowed her descent, and looked at her Father through curious eyes.

"You're dead," Xeno began, "but yet you're still walking. What do you call yourself," he teased.

Luna stared at him blankly and stopped moving entirely.

"Starts with a 'V'..." he prompted.

Luna thought and leaned forward slightly as she pronounced the 'V.'

"V-v-v-very lucky?"

Xeno laughed. Felt the pure joy in his stomach which made him wonder the last time he'd laughed like that.

"Yes. That too," he agreed.

Luna smiled at him. The same smile, but those eyes were different. Very different.


	2. Newly Born

**Authors note: To avoid confusion, the characters Luna and Xeno have no connection to the Lovegoods from Harry Potter. Their last name is Cain and are completely different characters. **  
**Also I'd like to thank my first follower, Dragon-Angel123, and the Wrath of Ash. Without it this chapter wouldn't have been completed as fast as it was.**

**Chapter Two**

Newly Born

Luna squeezed another metal knife into tenths. She stood in front of the window in her kitchen, sparkling in the sunlight. Her bright red eyes stared out into the field as her fingers fiddled with folding the knife.  
Xeno and Luna wouldn't be needing the cutlery anymore so Luna thought it made sense to destroy it.  
Xeno came down the stairs and sighed as he realised what his daughter was doing. The kitchen was littered with folded cutlery. He headed left at the end of the stairs and into the kitchen.  
He selected another knife from the drawer and stepped into the sunlight with his daughter.  
He slipped the folded knife out of hands and gave her the new one that she immediately set to work on.  
Xeno inspected the folded knife before tossing it away.  
"How're you feeling?" He asked.  
Luna raised a hand to her neck as she turned to him. "It's alright."  
Her voice was bright and mesmerisingly calm with an Irish brogue.  
"We'll go again tonight. I remember how unbearable newborn thirst was," he said gazing out the window. His sights fell on a crushed boulder. "I don't remember taking it out on the rocks though."  
He walked away from the window. Luna turned to watch him go. He became fascinated with wiping dust from the kitchen table with his finger as he continued talking.  
"I'm sorry for the pain you're in. It will go soon, I promise."  
"It's alright," Luna shook her head, walking towards her Father. "I'm just happy to be back with you again." She watched her hand as she took her Xeno's comfortingly.  
Xeno pulled her into a hug, resting a hand on her head. Luna was tall, for the age of fourteen anyway. She had grown a large amount since he had seen her last. As they stood in an embrace, his chin rested on the top of her head when he was six foot tall. He guessed she must be five foot and five inches.  
He was, admittedly, rather afraid of the newborn strength and speed that he saw during her first hunt. Undoubtably it exceeded the expectations.

An owl hooted from a tree outside. The sky was a deep navy blue and the stars twinkled.  
Luna paced anxiously in front of the staircase, blurring when she changed direction. She was desperate to get out. Felt the thought of blood gnawing at her self control. There was barely enough as it was.  
Xeno shrugged on a blue coat as he came down the stairs. Luna looked up at him hopefully, her fingers fiddling with another knife.  
"Let's go," he said.  
Within a second the door was opened and she was gone before and knife she was holding clanked on the floor.  
He sprinted after her. The night was cool and the wind chillingly as they ran, but it didn't effect them.  
Xeno could hear the footsteps of Luna and see her figure sprinting across the field and into the trees. Xeno was proud he could catch up, and keep up as he entered the forest. But he knew he would never be able to overtake her. The trees blurred past. Thin, little sticks making whooshing sounds as they glided past.  
Luna loved running. It was even better as a Vampire. She mentally gave herself a big pat on the back for practising when she was alive otherwise she wouldn't be going as fast as she could.  
She breathed in large, icy breaths but exhaustion never came.  
Soon she was able to hear the faint whine of a horse. A glowing light ignited from behind the trees and Luna ran faster. She broke free of the tree line and came to a sudden stop at the edge of a steep, grassy hill, overlooking the warmly lit buildings of a town.  
Luna looked eagerly down at it. Her red eyes bright and her lips in a smile. She listened intently to the hum of gentle conversation and looked carefully for movement.  
Xeno walked out of the forest behind her.  
"Now Luna," he said, coming to a stop next to her. "Be cautious and neat, okay?"  
"Yes, Dad."  
"Are you just 'yesing' me?"  
"Yes, Dad."  
He sighed and they began to hop down the hill. They stuck to the border of the village, so they could drag victims out instead of having to go in.  
Luna ducked and hid behind houses. The homes were all made of stone with thatched roofs.  
She stepped out from behind them occasionally, checking each alley.  
The sound of multiple footsteps approached, along with happy voices and laughs and heartbeats pulsing blood.  
Around the corner came four women. Two middle aged ladies and two girls in their late teens.  
They laughed and talked together as they walked down the street towards where Luna was hiding behind the house.  
She looked to her Father who was just visible in the shadows. He gave her a nod and Luna pounced. In one leap she collided with one of the younger girls and had her pinned against the wall of a house before her companions could register her sudden disappearance.  
Luna didn't hesitate. Her heart was pounding and her smell was overwhelming. She shrieked as Luna bit down hard. Luna gulped down quickly in large amounts.  
She heard the panicked shrieks of the other women. She watched the shadows on the wall next to her as her Father moved in and took them out.  
The girl's breathing and gasps slowed with her heartbeat. Her body became lighter and limper before the blood stopped flowing into her mouth. Luna's throat was still buzzing. She shook the girl. That was too quick. It wasn't enough. The girl's head lolled around and her wide eyes stared straight ahead, lifeless.  
She dropped the girl and she landed with a thump as Luna looked furiously for another victim.  
Xeno was starting on his second. There was one more middle aged woman, crawling away on a broken ankle. Xeno always broke the ankles to stop their escape. Luna pounced on her and flipped her onto her back harshly, immediately biting hard into her neck. She screamed louder than her daughter. She sounded like she was crying as Luna drank deeper. With every gulp, Luna's insides felt warmer as the blood filled her and made her feel whole.  
Luna sucked as hard as she could when the blood slowly ended.  
She gripped the woman's arm and pushed her head to expose her neck more. She bit deeply again and only felt a warm trickle on her tongue.  
She heard a loud crack and realised she'd broken the woman's shoulder. She bit down into the wrist and pulled so hard with a wet whomp, the woman's arm detached.  
Luna pounced back onto the daughter and attempted biting her wrists. The body was frail and came apart far too easily. Soon Luna was tossing legs and arms out of the way.  
Xeno grasped Luna's arms firmly and tried pulling her away. He managed to bring her to her feet when his head snapped to the side in alarm. A five year old boy with a mop of blonde hair trotted innocently along the main street. Luna tore herself from his grip and in a second she was gone and so was the boy.

Xeno flicked his wand at the pile of wood. It sparked and flared with warm light deep in the forest. Luna came holding the bodies and making a pile on the floor.  
She tossed an arm into the fire while Xeno watched her. She seemed rather flat even though she'd just fed. After her bloodlust craze was satisfied she undoubtably felt guilty about the lives she'd taken.  
Xeno felt proud that his Daughter still had a conscience but he knew she'd grow to accept what nature had intended.  
Luna lifted the corpse of the five year old, blonde boy who was ripped in two. She carried him gently in her arms as she approached the fire.  
Xeno looked sadly to her and she returned a sad smile.  
"May they rest in pieces," she joked, lifting the boy a little to support her joke.  
Xeno smiled and looked at his feet as Luna dropped the boy onto the fire.


	3. A Hopeful Transmission

Chapter Three

A Hopeful Transmission

The blood swirled slowly through the water in the barrel. Curling and growing as it spread across the surface. The wet cloth splashed lightly back into the water, sending ripples lapping at the edges of the barrel.  
Luna rubbed her face dry with a towel before heading up the spiralling staircase.  
She sat herself in front of the vanity in her Parents' room and began to pull the clips and braids from her hair.  
She quickly brushed out the knots in her light blonde hair. The length came down to her waist and most of the time was a wavy mess, which is why she preferred to keep it up.  
She set on redoing it.  
First she parted her hair to the left side of her head. She separated the sections of hair that hung before her ears, then clipped them under her chin to keep them out of the way.  
Next she pulled the rest of her hair into a tight ponytail at the back of her head.  
She separated it into three sections and plaited them.  
She took one plait and wound it round the base of the ponytail, pinning it into place.  
As she did the other two plaits, she noticed that her arms didn't burn with exhaustion from holding them up.  
She clipped all the loose parts of the bun to secure it.  
The last step was to take care of the front part. She took out the clip and smoothed one side down her face, twisting it before tucking it under her ear and wrapping it round the base of the bun, clipping it there.  
The sky outside was a beautiful navy blue. Before long, a strip of bright, yellow light appeared along the horizon. Luna completed the other side of her hair and stood at the window.  
Her third day of Vampirism had arrived.

Luna turned left at the end of the stairs, into the kitchen. She picked the wet cloth up again and started to harshly rub the blood stains on her dress.  
Xeno casually strolled in from the lounge room and leant against the kitchen bench, opposite Luna.  
Luna watched him out of the corner of her eye.  
"So," he began. "How's school going?"  
Luna froze and stared at him in shock. "Of all things?"  
"Well, yes. You're still a young Witch with magic that needs to be controlled and mastered."  
"Hogwarts won't take me back. They didn't want me then and they definitely won't want me now," Luna said sadly.  
"Are just trying to get out of school?"  
"The teachers are horrible. Nobody likes them. They gave us extra homework on a Friday and everything!"  
Xeno laughed. "It's okay. I'm not going to send you back anyway. I _can't_."  
"Because you couldn't possibly leave me?" Luna asked.  
"Because you'd probably slaughter the whole school."  
Luna considered. "Yes. I probably would."  
"We creatures have been feuding for years," Xeno said dreamily as he walked back into the lounge. He lowered his voice to an angry mutter in a hope Luna wouldn't hear, "when we should have been focusing our energies on Black Cross."  
He walked back into the room with parchment, ink and a smile.  
He spread out the equipment and began writing.  
"Have you thought about which course of magic you're going to take?"  
"No."  
"Since you're not going back to school, we should select a discipline that will best suit this life."  
"You mean..."  
"I do."  
"Not..."  
"Yes."  
"Will you let me fini-"  
"No. We should look into Necromancy."

Luna walked through the lounge to the front door. She opened it and looked out at the pleasant day.  
"Don't leave the gate," Xeno said without looking up from his letter.  
"Don't you trust me?"  
"No."  
Luna drooped her head and shoulders. "Ouch," she said as she shuffled outside.  
The gate was about twenty metres from the house and it surrounded it the house the whole way round. And _round_ it was.  
The house of Cain was a stone tower with three floors. The first floor had the kitchen, the lounge and a cluttered study all flowing in a circle. The second floor was divided into three rooms. Luna's, her Parents' and a bathroom. The third floor was the attic. A part of it had given way so the roof was a bit shorter in one section than the rest of the attic.  
Luna's Parents' room had a window directly above the front door. It opened onto a small balcony which hung awkwardly over the door.  
Luna hopped down the ten, irregular steps. She had lived here her whole life. The garden was full of ripe and blooming plants of fruit and flowers, most kept alive by magic. Her Mother had been an Elemental and her Father was too, so Luna always thought she would be as well.  
The garden abruptly ended at the low, disheveled by age, black iron fence, then there was an endless green field of nothing. There was only fields and hills and ... fields on the right horizon, but to the left was the forest.  
Luna carefully walked through the garden bed to a crop of strawberries that had been suffering of late. Now they were ripe and perfect. The colours healthy and vibrant, just when she didn't need them anymore.  
The grass softly prickled as weight moved onto it. The rustling of plants being chewed and nibbled filled Luna's ears before the quick, weak beating of a heart pulsing blood.  
A perfect, white rabbit hopped out from behind a bush and landed perfectly in Luna's view. The sound of the heart was enough to ignite a small, prickling fire in her throat, to make the venom gently flow and pool into her mouth. Automatically her stance changed, without her realising. She arched her back and leant on her hands until she looked like a jungle cat on the brink of pouncing.  
The rabbit only had time to look up before it was snatched up. Luna bit down hard and the hot blood flowed over her tongue. Immediately she released. It tasted ... wrong.  
The rabbit flailed its arms and legs, its chest rising quickly as it died from the large wound in its small neck.  
Luna bit back down again. Blood was blood. Her first impression of the taste was gross, but after a while it became okay. Plus, she didn't fancy the idea of having any Vampire-bunnies hopping about.  
Disgusted with what she'd done, she hid the carcass under a bush. Now that she was thinking about blood again, her throat had ignited and wasn't going to cease easily. Unless she thought of something else.  
"Excuse me, Luna?" Xeno called from the front door.  
Luna brought herself out of her thoughts, stood and turned to face her Father.  
"I have a quick question."  
"So do I."  
"You go first," Xeno offered.  
"Thanks. What do you think sounds better? Vampnies or Bunpires?"  
Xeno's face contorted into its most hilarious form of confusion.  
"Don't worry," Luna quickly said. "What's you question?"  
"Do you mind if I borrow Caerulea?"  
Now it was Luna's turn to look confused. "What on earth is Caerulea?"  
Xeno looked at her blankly and replied flatly, "your owl."  
"Oh, you mean Blue? I'd forgotten about him!"  
"Oh, just lovely, you are!" Xeno retorted sarcastically. "Why do you call it Blue?"  
"Well, because Caerulea is Latin for Blue and Caerulea seems a little feminine for a boy," Luna explained.  
"Oh, it's a boy, is it?"  
Luna nodded slowly.  
"Splendid. Is that a 'yes?' "  
"Of course, but let me feed him first!"  
"Good God, you haven't even fed him!" Xeno sighed to himself as he dawdled back into the house.  
Luna bent back down and quickly picked a couple of strawberries. She blurred up the garden path and plucked a purple plum from the tree that was growing up the side of the house, right next to the front door.  
She dropped the fruit onto the kitchen bench and went to the knife draw. Then she remembered they had no knives.  
"Ha, ha, ha. Should've used the forks instead," Xeno chuckled.  
Luna kept her eyes on him as she opened the draw and pulled out the last knife. "One more," she smiled.  
"Of course there is,' Xeno sighed, walking from the kitchen, defeated.  
Luna made a mental note to start folding the forks instead.

She sped up the spiral staircase to the second floor. The staircase continued up to the attic.  
Outside the staircase was a thin corridor that went round in a circle. She walked round till she came to her door and stepped inside.  
The door was positioned in the bottom right corner of the room. A large armoire sat next to it on the same wall. The two side walls were diagonal to meet the rounded far wall, which had a large, double set of windows in it.  
Her bed protruded from the left wall, a bedside table next to it and on the other side, in the corner, sat a simple chair.  
On the right wall was her desk and bookcase, and on top of the bookcase sat Blue's cage.  
Blue chirped and cocked his head, unnaturally, to the left and blinked at her with large, yellow eyes.  
Luna had forgotten what Blue looked like, but now that she could see him, her memories came back, though they were still covered by a muddy film. For some reason there were only certain memories that were perfectly clear, but they were the ones she'd thought about while she was burning, and even the details of her transformation were slowly slipping away. But she'd never forget the burning.  
Blue was white on the chest and woody brown on the back and head. He had dark brown flecks, some tiny, some large, spotted all over his body.  
Being a Pygmy Owl, his height was only the length of her hand.  
Luna opened the black, square cage and put the wooden dish of chopped fruit on the bottom.  
Blue clumsily flew down from his perch and began nibbling hungrily while Luna smiled guiltily.  
Blue's heartbeat was weak and quiet, but it grew louder the more she concentrated on it.  
She shook her head and turned to her bed.  
Her Hogwarts uniform still laid on her bed, her trunk was open at the foot of it.  
Luna put the charcoal dress, with the long skirt and sleeves and high neck, onto a coat hanger. She smoothed it out and fixed the white, lace collar. She threaded the thick ribbon back through it and clasped it with a brooch, that had the Hogwarts emblem on it, at the neck. The ribbon had thick, blue and silver stripes, symbolising her school house, Ravenclaw.  
She draped the black, school robe over it and hung it in her closet.  
Next she pulled out her school books from her trunk, slowly examining the covers of them all and thinking about how glad she was she wouldn't have to return to some classes.  
She pulled out the monstrous book of _Magical Beasts and Where To Find Them. _She would miss that class.  
She found a beautiful book with a dark blue cover with constellations decorating it. It read in big, silver letters: _Astonomy_.  
She had enjoyed the subject, but had passionately loathed the teacher.  
Professor Vale was her name. She was head of Ravenclaw House and therefore in charge of Luna. Luna simply hated Vale because Vale simply hated her.  
Vale deeply despised other creatures. Vampires, Werewolves, Goblins, Elves and Fairies.  
Vale hated the Cains because of Xeno's involvement with Vampires and sensed their demonic presence claiming Luna, when she'd never even met one.  
She tossed the book onto the bed and pulled out her student diary.  
She'd only been on her Easter holidays, (the break after Term 2,) for only three days before Xeno came back. She'd had about two more weeks until she would _have_ returned for Term 3 of her Fourth year. She wouldn't be back anyway.

Blue stood in Luna's palm as she stood on the steps of the front door. Late twilight had fallen and the sky was turning away from purple and into blue around the bright, crescent moon. Little puffs of grey cloud floated across lonesomely.  
The glowing light shining out of the lounge room window vanished as Xeno snuffed the candle. He joined Luna on the steps and closed the door.  
He presented a letter, wrapped elegantly in red ribbon, and Luna raised Blue to it.  
Blue nipped it in his beak obediently and Luna lifted him to the sky.  
Blue beat his little wings quickly and flew away slowly, looking more like a bat the further he got. He could only carry light letters. When he was a bit younger, Xeno had attempted to send him to fetch the Daily Prophet.  
He came back flying just above the ground, the newspaper dragging on the ground. They couldn't even read one half of every page because it was caked in mud and strands of grass.  
Xeno and Luna descended the stairs and headed the opposite direction, the back of the house. They blurred across the field and into the forest to pick on a different town a bit further away.


	4. The Laws and the Ring

**Author's Note: Thank you to my followers, Dragon-Angel123, The Wrath Of Ash, Ahern15 and thank you to the readers. Two more chapters until the Volturi come to stir the pot. Hang on tight!**

Chapter Four

The Laws and the Ring

Vindictus Veridian, Headmaster of Hogwarts, looked up from his desk when he heard the faint screeching of an owl echo through the deserted school. The tiny owl, just a fluttery, little dot, jittered across his window, heading for the Owlery.  
Professor Veridian stood and smoothed out his long robe. He strode confidently from behind his enormous desk, down the few steps and exited his office.  
He quickly descended the spiralling stone staircase and walked into the cold, empty hallway. The tall, golden statue of the eagle swerved and blocked the entrance after him.  
Veridian never liked the school holidays. He preferred the castle full of life and children and the organisation of a timetable.  
All of the staff had gone to visit families during Easter. Veridian did have a lovely wife he desperate to get home to; but he had school files and classes and timetables to organise for Term three.  
Hogwarts was a beautiful, classic and warm castle. Magic had preserved this masterpiece well. Veridian always admired the castle, even teaching here as an adult for more than forty years and being here as a student himself.  
He came to the corridor leading up to the West Tower. The staircase ran up the side of it, outside. Veridian hugged his coat around him and jogged up the steps.  
The draught ceased and the wind whistled against the windows as he entered the dim Owlery.  
The small Tower had large, glassless windows, allowing the smell to escape and fresh air to come in.  
Shelves lined all the walls, floor to roof. Each little space had room for only one owl and all had a coat of white droppings down it. Nearly all of the posts were vacant.  
The few Hogwarts owls, all old but strong, sat quietly by themselves while a noisy youngster chirped and flapped into his little home. The poo covered label underneath read '_Cain_.'  
Veridian hadn't paid much attention to the Cain family. He knew Luna was a bright student and he had grown tired of Vivian Vale's constant claims about the girl's 'evilness.' But like Vale, he thought Witches and Wizards were their own kind and should be kept separate from other creatures, so he didn't approve of Xenophilius Cain mingling with Vampires and Werewolves and Fairies. And especially Leprechauns. Treacherous and dangerous, annoying shorties they were.  
Veridian reached for the letter Blue carried. Blue leaned forward then recoiled just as Veridian was about to grasp it. Veridian scoffed and flattened his hand, Blue leaned forward than jerked back again. Veridian gritted his teeth than attempted to reach his hand in further, but Blue ducked his head to side. Two more attempts and Veridian quickly snatched the letter from Blue's beak and walked away from him.

_Dear Professor Veridian,_

_I am writing to inform you of my decision to withdraw Luna Cain from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
Miss Cain shall be educated and looked after well in other means.  
Please let me know if you consent to this._

_Sincerely, Xenophilius Cain._

Veridian's eyes widened as he ventured deeper into the letter. He couldn't believe what he was reading and almost collapsed when he read the signature of the writer. _Xenophilius Cain._  
"So he's alive after all," Veridian said to the thin air. One of the Hogwarts owls blinked at him.  
Veridian walked to the table in the centre which held parchment, ink and a candle.  
Veridian scribbled his reply. He folded the letter neatly into three. Being and Elemental, he clicked his fingers and flame appeared on his fingertips. He touched one to the candle then shook his hand out. He held the melting, red candle wax over the fold in the letter and it dripped thickly onto it. Veridian blew it out then took off his ring and squashed it into the wax, embossing the Hogwarts crest.  
He carried the letter over to Blue. He held the letter steadily and slowly brought it to Blue, he pulled it back just as Blue was about to nip it. He repeated the act a few times as Blue squawked in annoyance.  
Veridian gave in and let Blue bite it. With his hand still on the letter and Blue's beak enclosed on the opposite side, Verdian lent in and snarled, "No hard feelings?"  
He released the letter and walked back through the Owlery. He heard the rustling of wings behind him and the moving of air became louder as Blue flew over his head and dropped droppings onto his white ponytail with the fancy scrolls on each side of his head. Verdian stopped short. His eyes bulged and his jaw clenched. He watched in furious silence as Blue flew clumsily through the window and flapped irregularly through the night sky.

T'was two o'clock in the morning and day break was only hours away.  
Luna sat in the cluttered study, reading a _school_ book. She could barely believe it herself.  
She had just taken a bath. A very gruelling process for a Human, turned very easy for a Vampire.  
To have hot water, you needed to heat small amounts over the fireplace in the kitchen and carry it upstairs into the large, tin basin in the bathroom.  
Luna could have four kettles hanging over at a time. She didn't heat the water very hot, just a comfortable, luke warm. Once each kettle was done she poured them all into a large barrel and then carried the full barrel up the stairs in one go. A full barrel of water was one of the easiest things she could carry.  
She had tied her long, damp hair into a loose, plaited ponytail to keep it neat. She dressed in her simple, white, nightdress. Her hair soaked into the back of it but it didn't make her cold.  
A large candle sat in a tall holder, casting a warm, flickering light over the study.  
She had her school book, called the _Dark Arts_, open on the Necromancy section.  
The book lay flat on the cluttered desk while Luna sat in the wooden chair with perfect posture as she read. She was surprised she automatically resumed this position and hadn't grown tired of it.  
She didn't need a cushioned chair to be comfortable any more, everything was comfortable.  
Before reading, her knowledge of Necromancy had been brief, but now the power it offered was much more appealing.  
Xeno walked in and placed a thick, black ring onto the page in front of her. Luna looked to Xeno, then picked it up and examined it. Tiny bits of the black had flaked off, revealing the gold metal underneath. It had an embossed design around it as well. Two Celtic designs ran round both edges, a protuberant line ran round the middle with a frequent pattern of small dots flanking both sides.  
It was simple, yet elegant.  
"It's beautiful. What is it?" Luna asked.  
"I thought you might like this to store your Necromancy energy in," Xeno replied hopefully.  
"Thank you. I'd love to use it," she said as she slipped the ring onto the pointing finger of her right hand. I fit into place perfectly.  
Xeno smiled brightly.  
Necromancy was a powerful discipline. Young sorcerers, under seventeen who hadn't officially chosen their magic discipline, would find that Necromancy was uncontrollable. Most Necromancers stored their energy in objects to stop it from taking over completely, only the most powerful Necromancers in the world didn't need objects. Just kept the shadows and death swirling obediently around their bodies.  
"Do you understand it a bit better now, Necromancy?" Xeno asked.  
"Yes."  
"What do you think?"  
"I think... I'll like it," she said. "You can have some very useful abilities."  
Necromancy was the manipulation and power over shadows. The energy came from death, more precisely the souls and energy that left dead bodies she was near, came to her as power. The object that you store your power in is supposed to grow colder the more powerful it gets.  
Because death was going to be a frequent part of Luna's life now, Necromancy was a sensible choice. An advantage to her, a Vampire with Witch abilities.  
All Witches and Wizards had wands, the wands were so they could still use other magic, but the discipline they chose, would be the one power that would be within them without requiring a wand. Some Witches and Wizards never chose a certain discipline, but that was a rare decision.  
"I think I have another book on Necromancy," Xeno offered. "Let me find it."  
Xeno blurred over to a book case which held books far beyond its maximum.  
Luna turned back to her book while in the background Xeno pulled books out of the way, tossed them behind him once he read the covers and then started on a tall, delicately balanced pile of tomes.  
'_Shadows can be manipulated into whips, tendrils, shields, shadow blasts and can allow the user to shadow walk; a weak equivalent to teleportation and general Wizard Apparating_.' The page read.  
"Ahh, here it is," Xeno said proudly.  
He walked over and dropped the one thousand paged tome onto the desk. Dust blasted up from underneath it. Luna sent more dust motes floating away in waves as she dusted the cover. She didn't cough or splutter, the dust couldn't affect her new, powerful lungs.  
The book cover was made of black leather, grey dust collected in its tiny crevices. Big, silver letters stated the title: _How To Raise Kittens_.  
"Um, Dad?"  
"Oh, sorry." Xeno ran back to the bookshelf and brought back an identical book. He placed the right book in front of her but Luna kept her gaze on him.  
Xeno noticed this and shuffled uncomfortably. "It was your Mother's!"  
"I'm sure it was," Luna replied flatly.  
"Good, because it's true."  
"I _really_ do believe you," Luna mocked.  
"Okay, then. You may stop grinning any moment now."  
Deep down Luna knew that it probably was her Mother's, but there was still that possibility.  
Ignoring it, she turned back to the new one thousand paged tome.  
Big and bound in black leather, like the last, the silver lettered title read: _Necromancy_.  
'_I am so lucky I have eternity to read this_,' was Luna's first thought.  
"Well, I'll leave you to it. There's something I want to teach you today. But don't worry! It doesn't involve fat books," he said as he walked round to the lounge.

Midday came and Luna descended the stairs. Her hair was dry and back up in a braided bun and she had changed her dress. Same design structure, but the dress was pale blue all over.  
Luna saw Xeno sparkling out on the garden path through the window. She walked through the already open front door and down the steps to him, twisting her black ring round her finger.  
She felt the sunlight warm the skin on her hands and face. The little diamonds appeared and glistened on different angles when her hands made the slightest movement.  
"You know our skin does this in the sunlight, instead of burning us to dust?" Xeno began.  
Luna nodded.  
"It's different from Human skin, from Wizard skin, from Werewolf skin, yes?"  
Luna nodded again.  
"It's different because it's a Vampire trait. An easily identifiable one, which is why we do not go into the sunlight in public, with Humans, more precisely.  
"It's against Vampire law. Humans would know we're different, and we must be kept secret. Okay?"  
Luna nodded.  
"Treat it as if you would explode into flame if you do step into the sun."  
"Okay."  
"Good. Next law. The Humans you kill must be destroyed properly. They have to simply disappear. Remember what we've done with the bodies the last four nights?  
"That's what you must do. Also try and chose Humans who won't be missed. And don't feed from the same place. Rotate and don't kill too many.  
"We'll build up your bloodlust. It will settle down."  
"How many laws are there?" Luna asked.  
"Not very many, but they're all easy to remember.  
"Now," Xeno continued. "If a Human learns of your existence, change them or kill them. If you ever create another Vampire, you are responsible for teaching him or her the rules and controlling them. Like I am doing now.  
"And the last important one. Do not create immortal children. Stories have said they cannot be taught or controlled. To break any of these laws means you will die."  
"What kills us?" Luna asked.  
"It's more a question of 'who?' " Xeno grinned.  
"So, summing all of that up," Luna started. "Don't show Vampire traits in public, hunt responsibly and without suspicion, kill or change Humans, be responsible for newborns and do not create children. Do it or die."  
"Exactly," Xeno said.  
"But I'm a child and immortal," Luna argued.  
"When they say child, I think the youngest they mean is under thirteen."  
"Well, we're okay then."  
"Yes we are. Come, there's something I want to show you." Xeno smiled, walking back up the stairs and into the house.  
Luna followed him in. She stood next to him when she caught up. He was only standing in the entrance, facing their right, into the lounge.  
Luna looked from him to the lounge, trying to figure out what he was doing. Xeno focused hard.  
Luna's eyes widened as the stuffed armchair floated slowly upwards. Up, up, up until it collided with the roof with a gentle knock.  
Next the short, wooden table with a glass covered top started to rise. The table was hollow and under the glass was a display of pretty china teacups and saucers. The rattled against each other as the table rose.  
Another armchair joined the two hovering just below the ceiling.  
"How is this happening," Luna asked, though she already suspected the answer.  
"I'm moving them. It's my Vampire Power. Telekinesis."

"Bonus Vampire Powers aren't given to everyone, about one in eight Vampires. All abilities are different," Xeno explained to Luna. The furniture was back on the floor and they sat in the armchairs.  
"How did you discover it?" Luna asked.  
He hesitated as he thought about his answer. "I don't know. I guess it just happened. It has improved over time. At first I was only able to lift one thing, now I can move as many things, as fast and as far as I want to."  
Luna nodded once, understanding.  
"Now," Xeno said, sitting up straight in his chair. "Time for the fun stuff."  
"There's more fun stuff," Luna asked, sitting up straight in enthusiasm.  
"Of course. Come with me."

As twilight approached once again, the sun drooped sleepily towards the horizon after a long day of shining.  
Luna followed Xeno as he sprinted to the edge of the field and entered the forest.  
"There is one more part of being a Vampire I am yet to teach you. Some day I might not be here. You might want to go somewhere by yourself, just like you would if you grew up. But when I'm not here you need to learn how to fend by yourself."  
Then he disappeared with a sharp blow of wind.  
The weakening sun cast the forest into deep shadows, the trees and bushes much longer and darker. The shade was cold and the forest was quiet. Luna looked around. Every direction was the same, not one featuring her Father.  
"Dad!" she called.  
Her voice echoed through the trees with no reply. Luna pursed her lips and turned to leave the forest.  
Then someone collided into her right side. She slammed into a near tree hard and a hand pinned her throat against it firmly.  
Luna looked into the serious eyes of Xeno and grasped his hand.  
"Ouch. Dad, you're hurting me," Luna said, her voice uneven with uncertainty.  
"What are you going to do about it?" he said, raising an eyebrow.  
Luna caught on and clenched her jaw in determination. She kicked her legs out into Xeno. He stumbled back and Luna stepped away from the tree. His hand was still loosely wrapped around her neck, she turned so he was behind her and gripped his arm. She bent over, flipping him over her shoulder and let him drop gently onto the ground with a thud.  
"Good," he said simply.  
He disappeared from underneath her again. Luna felt the air move to her right and snapped her arm up to defend her head. It collided with Xeno's arm, he struck out his other arm but Luna blocked that with her left arm as well. Xeno snapped his hands down tightly onto her wrists and shoved her away. Luna flipped in the air and landed with a skid on her feet.  
Xeno blurred to her again and tried to strike again. Luna caught it and tried to whack his shoulder but he caught her arm. She had gripped one of his arms and his other arm was gripping one of her arms. Quickly he spun her round so her back was pressed against him. He wrapped his arms around her neck.  
She kicked his ankles and he tripped, taking her down with him. They collapsed on the ground and Xeno released his head lock as he began to laugh.  
"You're ridiculously strong, Luna," he commented.  
"Me? Pfft. _You're_ the strong one," she dismissed, standing up.  
"Don't underestimate yourself, Loony. Your reflexes show some great potential," Xeno said, looking up at her.  
Luna looked down at him in modest disbelief.  
"Come," he said, standing up. "Let's hunt."


	5. Apparition

Chapter Five

Apparition

After two days of flying, Blue was in a confident rhythm. He experimented with soaring, but when he started to glide downwards he had to flutter his wings to keep him in the clouds.  
He relished in the delight of the free, open sky, his speed creating a gentle wind ruffling his feathers ticklishly.  
Four sparrows sped in front of him then chased each other in circles, chirping and squawking at one another. Blue noted their techniques carefully, maybe even he could fly like that one day. Considering he was already six years old. Him wanting to learn flips like that was the equivalent of a sixty year old Human wanting to learn to surf. A little bit past him.  
The birds cries echoed as they raced further away.  
Blue looked down at the green field. Just a long, perfect colour as his speed blurred all the individual strands together. His black shadow on the ground soared perfectly. He looked so straight and muscular, considering he was only the length of a Human's palm. He flexed his wings in mid air, admiring how the sun caught all the different angles -

_Wall_.

Xeno looked out his bedroom window at the sound of the impact and jumped when he saw Blue's squished face slowly sliding off the glass.  
"Hopeless penguin," he sighed.  
Fixing his collar, Xeno zipped out of his room, down the stairs, out the front door and blurred round the side of the house to right under his window sill where Blue immediately fell into his cupped hands.  
Blue flexed and stretched his shoulders and limbs as he stood up. He jutted out his chin to present the letter that was folded up into a zig-zag pattern, due to the collision with the window.  
Xeno took the letter and tossed Blue over his shoulder. Blue managed to catch the wind just before he hit the ground and flapped up to where Xeno's shoulder had been, glaring after him.  
Xeno walked straight into the cluttered study where Luna was two pages into the Necromancy tome. She rested her head on the heel of her palm as her eyes scanned the tiny lines of tiny words, completely bored.  
Xeno removed the sticky wax with a wet flop and unfolded the letter.

_Mr. Cain,_

_With great reluctance I am willing to part with a very bright and talented student who has, undoubtably, provided lots of excitement for Professor Vale and I over the years. Please refrain from taking the last part of the sentence as a compliment.  
I hope Miss Cain exceeds the expectations in her new course of her life._

_Regards, Vindictus Veridian._

_P.S: It's good to hear from you. Alive, Xenophilius._

Xeno regarded the response with a satisfied nod and walked towards the desk.  
"Good news!" He began enthusiastically. "You have been officially removed from Hogwarts! Now you're all mine!" He chuckled darkly.  
"That 'good news' very quickly turned bad," Luna replied, leaning up from her book.  
"Had enough of reading?" he asked.  
"Oh, a long time ago."  
"Dandy. Meet me out the front when you're ready," he replied, beginning to walk away. "Oh, and don't you have _anything_ else? You can't possibly fight in a _dress_."  
"Xenophilius," Luna gave her Father an incredulous look. "Of course I do!"  
"What?" Xeno asked, surprised.  
"Just some things that I've permanently borrowed from you," Luna explained as she jogged round the staircase and up to the second floor.

Luna had been using an old pair of pants and a simple, white shirt of Xeno's when he disappeared. She started building up her fitness and muscles to be able to protect herself. She lead by her Father's example of course. She used to hear beat dawn in rising, hear his heavy boots descend the stairs and watch him, out of her window, as he ran through the fields.  
Luna tied the laces tightly on her last boot. They were tattered and worn, but offered great support. She wore them under everything, being her only shoes. They had a small heel and the opening rose past her ankles.  
She tucked the long hems of the dark brown trousers into her boots. The pants were quite baggy, but were supposed to be tight on a fully grown man, like her Father.  
She let the shirt hang loosely and quickly took her hair out, tying it back into a tight ponytail.  
Luna left her bedroom and stepped into the hall the same time as Xeno did.  
"That is ridiculously improper," Xeno said, noting his Daughter's clothing.  
"Likewise," Luna retorted.  
Xeno faltered, looked down at his own clothing and realised he was wearing the same clothing as his Daughter, except his fit better.  
He scowled and zipped back into his room. He emerged a second later in a midnight blue shirt and his white hair loose instead.  
Xeno's hair had always been white. Luna once asked him why it was he had the hair colour of an old man. With a defensive frown he replied that her hair shade made his look white.  
Xeno grinned at her, happy now, and they headed outside.  
Xeno's facial features defined his age. If Luna didn't know him, she'd have guessed he couldn't be over forty, and technically, he wasn't.  
Luna had stolen most of her traits from her Father. Their noses wouldn't be described as delicate and small, though they weren't huge either. Xeno had a noticeable bump on the bridge of his nose, whereas Luna's was smooth. They had the same lips, top lip thin and the bottom full.  
Both had brown eye brows and wide eyes. Xeno's had been blue and Luna's were hazel, but she thought red was so much cooler anyway.  
They walked onto the field and Luna snapped immediately into attention mode.  
"When you're fighting," Xeno began, "and doing so to get away, what you want to do is defend yourself but also distract or injure them to give yourself time to get away.  
"We have no physical weaknesses, just detaching limbs. If you're going to kill, you want to use skilful techniques to make sure you're always on top.  
"Having strength is very useful when you're enemy is coming from you head on with blows. You can easily block them if you have the practise and reflexes.  
"Let's try it. Just focus on blocking my punches.'  
Xeno struck his fists out quickly, most aiming for her shoulders and head. When she managed to catch them all, he moved some sneaky ones to her stomach.  
"Good. Now try and get me to the ground"  
She blocked two punches and dived, grabbing him around the middle and heading for the ground. Xeno absorbed the impact and twisted himself, regaining his balance.  
Luna released and landed on her feet. She tried a sneaky kick to his side but he caught her ankle perfectly in his hand. With all his might, he flung it upwards. Luna flipped backwards and in a spin, landed perfectly back onto her feet.  
She feigned a punch but ducked behind him instead. Xeno realised and tried a punch behind him, but she ducked and took out his feet. He fell onto his back but Luna quickly flipped him over, put her hand on the side of his head roughly and stopped there.  
"Very good. I'm severely out of practise," Xeno sighed.

Five rounds later, the first three in Luna's favour, but Xeno had made a comeback in the last two.  
They were in a non-stop, constant hitting mode. Both of them managing to capture all of their blows. Tired of the position, Luna ducked under Xeno's arm and tried to strike from behind. He spun and caught it and it started again.  
Xeno flung his right arm towards Luna's chest, but that she caught with both hands just in time. Straight away, he sent the left into her back. She lurched forward and Xeno attempted to strike her with his left again, but she ducked too low. Quickly he brought his right arm round again. He meant to aim for her chest, but the destination was her head and he couldn't slow.  
Luna felt in her gut the blow was coming for her head, but that stupid head couldn't generate a thought to her reflexes to stop it.  
She clamped her eyes shut and braced for it. Then suddenly, she mentally she felt sick and dizzy. Her mind felt damp and slow and heavy as something passed through it, then was gone.  
The wind whipped by and she heard Xeno trip and stumble to the ground, roll over his back and land on the ground. Luna opened her eyes in curiosity and Xeno sat up in shock.  
"What?- How? ... _What_?" Xeno stuttered.  
Luna looked down at her hands. She was still alive and in one piece.  
"What did you do? How did you do it?" Xeno breathed.  
"I don't know! Except, I knew I was going to be hit!" Luna said.  
Xeno stood up slowly and approached her cautiously. He quickly poked her arm then recoiled as if the contact would burn him.  
"Ouch!" Luna said.  
"You're solid again," he commented.  
He reached out and knocked on the top of her head. He gripped the sides and turned it back and forth.  
"My hand went straight through!" He said confused. "Let me try and hit you again."  
He raised his hand.  
Luna stood still and anticipated the impact. At least she wouldn't be at risk of dying this time.  
He brought round his fist and it collided perfectly with her arm, creating a loud crunch. Luna fell to the ground and Xeno shook his fist.  
"Ouch!" They both gasped.  
"Maybe it needs to be life-threatening?" Luna suggested.  
"Yes. Let's try your head again."  
"NO! That's okay," Luna yelled quickly.


	6. Live For Today

**Authors Note: Just a quick tribute to my new follower HermioneandMarcus. Thank you for my first review. Happy Easter!**

Chapter Six

Live For Today

Blue watched Luna from his cage as she stood in front her bedroom wall. She reached her hand out slowly, but her fingers drifted along the solid wall.  
_'I want to go through it. I'm touching it, I don't want it to touch me,_' Luna thought. These were same things she was thinking the day before, except she was about to be punched in the head.  
She pressed her hand harder onto the wall in frustration. The wall groaned and splintered in protest and Luna recoiled when her hand started to move in.  
She gave up with a sigh and walked to her door. Suddenly it flew open and Luna braced, but time seemed to slow as it passed _through_ her, making her feel heavy and wobbly. Then all was normal when she heard it slam against the wall next to her.  
"HA!" Xeno laughed triumphantly. "That was a test. A very successful one!"  
Luna looked at him blankly as he celebrated.  
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her downstairs.  
"Do you know what this is?" Luna asked, stopping on the stairs and looking down at Xeno.  
"A supernatural talent. I am absolutely positive but I don't know what it is. Don't worry though. I'll think of a cool name for it!" Xeno chirped.  
He turned and continue down the stairs. "Anyway. How's Necromancy going?"  
"Alright. I can form the shadows now."  
Luna outstretched her right hand, the black ring on her pointing finger gleaming. The shadows in the house, hiding behind their creators, began to move and billow. She drew her arm in and they flooded onto the floor. A deep black sea covering the entire floor, blocking everything from sight. Xeno looked around, amazed but anxious as a few strands of shadows crept up around him.  
Luna relaxed her arm and the shadows retreated back to where they came from.  
The ring on her finger was becoming warmer.  
"I'm loosing my energy," she said.  
"You'll get it back tonight," Xeno promised. He walked over to the desk and started shuffling through pages.  
Luna looked through the small window. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, casting the field into light and warmth and sending a ray through the window and onto her hand. She felt the skin warm and the bright light made her squint as her hand shimmered.  
"Luna," Xeno called. He held out a sheet of parchment. "I found this in the kitchen a few days ago."  
Luna took it from him and read over it quickly. It was her charms homework. The last thing she'd written alive.  
"It's very good. There's some good spells on there. Remember those. Shame you'll never submit it," he said as he continued to organise.  
"Thanks," Luna said as she zipped upstairs.  
She lifted the school books from her trunk and put them onto a vacant shelf in one go.  
She dropped the homework sheet and her student diary into the empty trunk and clipped it shut before pushing it under her bed and out of sight.  
She walked to her desk and carefully picked up her wand as if it were a delicate twig. In her hand, it may as well be.  
Four and half inches long, it was made of the warm, dark brown wood of a maple tree. The handle was carved in the shape of a long, closed tulip, her favourite flower.  
She held it in her fingers delicately running her fingers along it, feeling how it got thinner towards the end. She placed it back down on the desk and ran her finger across the dusty surface. The three drawers below it caught her attention.  
She couldn't remember many of things she had in her bedroom. She opened her desk draw to find ink, quills in purple, blue and green, parchment and Butterbeer corks.  
She opened the next draw and found well used paintbrushes, chalk and paint. She pulled them all out and thought.

"Dad?" Luna said from the staircase, leaning over so she could see him. "Shall I paint pictures for the walls?"  
"Um, that's a good idea, actually. Add a little life to this place. I'm attempting to neaten up the study myself," he said.  
Luna noticed that the shelves and desk did look a little neater. But the short, chests of drawers were still covered and cluttered in trinkets.  
Xeno set back to work and Luna dashed back up the stairs.  
She took a piece of parchment, a brush and a board. She curled up on the window couch and placed a jar of water and different colours onto the window sill. Then she began to paint.

Luna left her picture to dry in the afternoon sun. The sky was becoming golden and darker as twilight's arrival drew nearer.  
The damp page held the image of an extremely deformed Cornish Pixie. The wet, blue paint glistened brightly in the weak sunlight as Luna examined her work. Still definable, but still a scary looking pixie.  
Xeno ducked past her bedroom.  
Sticking his head in the door he said, "We'll be leaving soon, okay?"  
Luna nodded at him with a smile.  
He returned it warmly as he slid back out and closed the door.  
Luna's thirst had barely progressed. Hunting sent her into a craze and nothing could bring her back out. But that was once she started, and when she did she never wanted to stop.  
Having Blue around did help her with controlling her bloodlust.  
She turned back to her window. The golden sun was sinking below the trees, casting the sky into an orange and bronze hue. The last rays weakly touched her skin through the window, only making tiny sparkles and delicate diamonds appear dimly.  
Her reflection in the glass distracted her gaze from outside. The most dominant colour was that bright, vibrant scarlet in her irises. She'd only been a Vampire for just over a week.  
She took in all her features. She'd never seen them so defined and sharp. The faint grey bags under her big, red eyes, long, black lashes protecting them. Her soft pink lips, her strong jaw line and the white skin that covered her was flawless to perfection. No marks or bumps disrupted it.  
Her pale, blonde hair, silky and shiny, was still in a perfect braided bun. No strand had turned astray.  
She could feel her power. Feel each muscle work every time she moved, feel the skin tight over it, notice her automatic confident stride, her shoulders back and straight.  
She loved Vampirism.

Her black ring became colder than death as the man's soul poured into it. Luna gathered and breathed in the black mist and shadows and felt her power increase.  
The ring had his soul, telling her that he was dead, no more blood would run from his neck, but yet Luna sucked harder. She heard the crackling and snapping and tearing of flesh and bone as the man's arm detached from his shoulder.  
Xeno sat on a boulder, watching his Daughter intently. He wondered how much of her strength was caused by the Newborn phase. He wondered what she had done during her life to give herself this amount of physical power.  
He watched her to learn what he needed to teach her, what weakness to defeat. Plus, he didn't need to feed everyday.  
Luna ran back to the already dead woman. She might be satisfied, but she always needed more, needed to kill because it was all she could think about. Overtime, when she moved out of the Newborn Phase, she'd be able to snap herself out of her frenzies.  
A home nearby cast a warm, orange glow into the dark night, creating Luna's black silhouette against the long grey boulder Xeno was perched on.  
The black outline of Luna began to tear dark pieces from the body.

Luna carried the large man over her tiny frame, his arm only hanging on from strings of grotesque tissue and sinew. The ring was freezing on her finger and she sensed the dark power lurking and swirling beneath the hard surface.  
Xeno carried the pieces of the woman in his arms as they walked deeper into the forest, in silence.  
The forest was moist tonight, and damp. A fine, rainy mist drizzled through the trees in the forest, making the clothes the Cains wore heavy and sticky. It would be hard to light a fire tonight.  
Xeno dropped the body and Luna led by example. He grinned at her and wiped the blood that was staining her pink lips with his thumb.  
She smiled at him.  
He looked around for sticks and bark, looking under the undergrowth where it would be dry.  
He touched the small flames on his fingers to different nooks and crannies in the small fire pit.  
The fire was weak and delicate. Gently lapping at the moistening sticks and bark.  
Luna knelt on her hind legs. She picked up a completely unidentifiable piece of the woman's body and fed it slowly to the building flames.  
Xeno sat down too, resting his elbows on his bent knees and clasping his hands.  
"This is going to be our life, just us, forever?" Luna asked hopefully.  
"Of course. We can do anything Loony."  
"Forever is a very long time," Luna said dreamily. "What on Earth are we going to do to fill that time?"  
"Oh, you know. Things come up, problems arise. Little things will happen to keep us entertained."  
"What could possibly threaten our impeccable lives?"  
"We still have a lot to live for, things to learn and achieve."  
"And after that?" Luna said, standing up. Xeno joined her.  
He took hold of her chin in his finger and thumb and arched her head to meet his eyes.  
"After that," he began, "We embrace every day as it comes. Go with the flow of life. But right now, we live for today and forget about tomorrow," he said gently, caressing the side of her face with his other hand.  
Luna hugged him, and he tightened his arms around her. The flames became stronger and passionate, creating waves of heat searing the air.  
The tiny stars twinkled in the sky, very much like the individual diamonds embedded in the Cains' skin, revealed by sunlight. The full moon was brilliant and bright, offering a white light in the navy blue sky.  
The field was a vast stretch of dark green, the tree line and forest distinctly black and the tiny flickering of orange light deep in the forest below marked where the Vampires stood.


	7. The Volturi

Chapter Seven

The Volturi

"_They came with pageantry, with a kind of beauty. They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees - a dark, unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above the white snow, so smooth was the advance_." ~ Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer.

Thirty-Three Years Later

_Ireland, 1711_  
Thirty-three years later, Luna still looked like a fourteen year old girl and Xeno still looked like a thirty-nine year old man.  
Few things had changed. The house was older and weathered, the garden was still in full bloom, the forest still stood, thick and green, the field's hills still long and irregular.  
Blue had died, but he didn't leave. Luna could now trust him to fly around the house. He perched on the edge of the shelf, looking down at Luna with eyes now big and black. Some of his feathers had changed over time to black, the colour of the shadows and mist of Necromancy, the power keeping him alive.  
Luna sat in front of the window, in the lounge room, drawing a decorative border of flowers and vines onto the windowsill with chalk. She still wore her hair in a braided bun. All her dresses were the same ones from thirty-three years before. That day her dress was a deep violet, decorated with small flowers of a warm purple.  
Her Vampire gift had taken a focused point, Xeno had called it Apparition. To call it on was instant now and she had learnt to spread it to others through contact. She walked Xeno through a boulder a couple of years ago.  
Luna's bloodlust had improved after the first two years. She now only hunted every two weeks and no longer tore her victims apart. Her strength and speed hardly declined though.  
Blue started to shuffle uncomfortably on the shelf. Luna looked up to him, concerned.  
He flapped down and perched on the back of the sofa Luna was behind. She tickled him under his chin and returned the blue chalk she was holding to its tray. She looked out the window and that's when she saw them.  
Five cloaked figures floating out of the forest, straight to the house. Luna peered further out. They were emotionless and delicate, moving swiftly and approaching quickly. They were Vampires.  
Luna had _never_ come into contact with others of her kind besides Xeno.  
Speaking of whom, Luna heard him come down the stairs behind her. She turned and looked at him worriedly. She knew he could see straight out of that window from the place on the stairs. Xeno considered their arriving company, then gave Luna a look. That one look was a mixture of emotions, not just one. At the same time she saw sternness, reassurance, confusion and acceptance, that he wasn't surprised about what this was.  
He stepped off the stairs and headed right towards the front door. Luna jumped up and walked after him.  
"Are they Vampires, Dad?"  
"Yes," he said, grimly.  
"Do they know that we're sorcerers? And they're coming to kill us for it?"  
"I don't know. I hope not."  
Xeno stood as far away as he could, opposite the front door, so he was up against the staircase. Luna joined him at his side as they waited for the Vampires to come. They could feel their nearness. Hear the rustling of material and the whispers of disturbed grass. They could sense the world becoming darker as they drew nearer.  
"Okay Luna, there's something I need to tell you," Xeno whispered. "You know that ugly garden gnome your Mother used to keep in front of the entrance?"  
"Yeah."  
"It never fell, I pushed it off."  
"Oh. That's okay."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, I guess it did give me nightmares."  
"I know," he sobbed.  
"I have to tell you something too. You know when my bedroom window broke?"  
"Hm."  
"Blue never flew through it, I _threw_ him through it!"  
"WHAT!" Xeno whispered loudly. "Why would you throw him at a window?"  
"I uh, um. I thought it was open? And isn't this a 'You're Sorry, I'm Sorry' moment?"  
"Yes. That's true, I'm sorry. That's a very good cover story by the way, very believable, had me convinced! I'll give you one point for creativity."  
"Thank you."  
"Your welcome."  
The figures drifted by the side of the house. Xeno and Luna watched their shadows float through the windows.  
The footsteps of heavy boots sounded on the stone steps as they ascended the stairs. Luna and Xeno pressed against the stairwell, bracing and halting their breathing.  
Then there was silence as they waited outside the door. Luna and Xeno tensed and widened their eyes in anticipation for the door to fly off its hinges...  
Then someone gave a cheerful rap on the door.  
Xeno and Luna's heads snapped back towards the door, eyes wide in shock and confusion. Luna pursed her lips and looked up to Xeno.  
One look and they started battling each other to make sure it wasn't them that had to open the door.  
"You do it," Luna hissed as she batted his hands away. She gave him a shove with her leg and he stumbled to the door. He glared at her before inhaling deeply and opening the top half of the front door.  
Xeno peeked out at his company.  
"Xenophilius Cain?" a man asked. His voice was soft and cheerful, and already Luna felt better.  
"Yes," Xeno said, opening the door wider and resting his hands on the bottom half.  
Four men and one woman made up the cloaked posse.  
"My name is Aro," said the man in front. His skin was white and papery. Long, smooth hair, blacker than the shadows of night, rested just below his shoulders and he had tired, blood red eyes that looked, somewhat, dusty and old.  
The other Vampires still had the hoods of their cloaks up around their heads.  
"I am delighted to offer you the opportunity to join the Guard of the Volturi in Italy," he said.  
Xeno faltered. "The... _Guard_? That's only the best-"  
"Precisely. And we would be honoured to have you. Do you except?" He raised an eyebrow and offered his hand.  
Xeno hesitated. "Yes," he said with a weak smile. He placed his hand in Aro's, assuming a shake, but Aro's intentions were different.  
He wrapped his other hand around it and closed his eyes in concentration, reading all the information.  
He looked up suddenly and dropped Xeno's hand.  
His tone was flat and he sounded rather, unimpressed. "This companion of yours," he began slowly, "is the presence I sense standing behind you, yes?"  
Xeno nodded and shuffled to the side, revealing Luna.  
"She can come with me, right?" Xeno asked nervously.  
"Of course," Aro said flatly, his eyes never straying from Luna.  
The guard behind him inspected her with arrogant amusement.  
"She's gifted. I'm sure we'll find a place for her somewhere," Aro continued.  
Usually Luna would introduce herself, but this time she was too intimidated. She didn't want to go, but the more Aro and Xeno talked it seemed more and more appealing, and Luna didn't know why. Sure they'd have to leave the house, but they'd still be together.  
"Well, we shall see you in Volterra. Chelsea here will accompany you, to give you time to gather the things you may want to take with you.  
"Good day, Xenophilius."  
Aro reinstated his hood and the four men turned and left, leaving the woman behind.  
Xeno opened the bottom half of the door. "Come in," he said.  
"Thank you," Chelsea replied politely.  
He walked with her to the Lounge and she dropped her hood. Her skin was white and flawless, her hair was blonde and smooth, the top half swept up into a bun and the bottom half wrapped into a thick curl hanging over her shoulder. Her lips were a deep, dull red and very full.  
Her black lashes and dark eye shadow brought out her piercing, red eyes. They looked almost foggy.  
"We won't be long," said Xeno as he dashed up the stairs. Luna gave her a kind smile and chased him up.  
Xeno had a large bag open on his bed and was stuffing files into it.  
Luna walked in and said, "what's the Volturi?"  
"Our sort of... Government."  
"But nobody likes the Government."  
"I said 'sort of.' They're not exactly 'By the People, For the People.' Trust me Luna. We'll be fine. It doesn't sound so bad, does it. We'll be protected there."  
"What if they find out what we are?" Luna whispered.  
"They won't, unless we make a public display of Sorcery. So be careful."  
"What about Blue? And what was he doing with your hand?"  
"Blue will have to be kept hidden. I trust you're responsible enough for that."  
Luna bit back a laugh.  
"He was reading my mind. But I put a block about all the Wizard stuff in... Ages ago.  
"Now come on, pack the things you want to take."  
Luna walked into her room and took out a small travelling bag out of her closet, along with her navy blue travelling cloak.  
She walked aimlessly around her room, looking for things, twisting the ring on her finger.  
She picked up her favourite childhood book from her shelf and put it the bag.  
She put her art equipment in there also and fresh parchment.  
Blue flapped outside her window. She opened it and let him in. She placed her wand into the bag and a spare dress. Her favourite one. The one she was changed in.  
She locked the window and put on her cloak. Blue flew into the bag and Luna left the zipper open and carefully she carried it. Next she headed to the Bathroom. The tin bath tub sat cold and empty on the far side of the room. She opened the cabinet and took out her brush and clips, tossing them into the bag.  
Very nervous she was to know what would become of them. But this was another little thing that was happening to give their lives a little excitement.  
Luna stepped into the hall the same time as Xeno. He too had his travelling coat on. He nodded to her with a smile and together they descended the stairs to greet their future.


	8. Volterra

Chapter Eight

Volterra

Twilight shrouded the sky in a purple and dark blue hue as the three cloaked figures walked along the black grass of the field. Leaving Ireland and heading for Italy.

Italy was bright and warm. The sun shone over the country side of large fields, the shades of green all different. The sky was blue with thick, white clouds rolling and swirling around.  
The country side was bare, with the odd large tree and house dotted here and there.  
The land started to rise up slowly, and soon the houses became more frequent and a beautiful ancient city rested on the flat peak of the hill. All the buildings were made of stone bricks, the colours of sunset orange. The streets were hard to pick out, all the houses and buildings built close together.  
Two wide streets ran through it in the shape of a tear drop.  
Most of the buildings were apartments and town houses but in the bowl of the tear were the biggest buildings. More like cathedrals surrounding a wide, vacant courtyard.  
A cloud obstructed the sun as Chelsea, Xeno and Luna crossed the courtyard and into the shade of the looming Clock Tower before them.  
Luna and Xeno hadn't seen a single person about. The city was quiet and peaceful.  
The bricks on the ground were made of orange sand stone. Luna could feel the heat radiating off them. A beautiful water fountain sat slightly to the right in front of the Clock Tower.  
The water trickled slowly and gently into the pool.  
The Clock Tower looked to have three floors and a little tower at the top were the Clock sat. The Clock was rusted and old and decorated with Roman Numerals.  
Windows lined each floor and a double set of doors sat on the bottom floor, right in the middle. The wood was almost black and polished so it gleamed. Chelsea opened the doors wide and walked into the building. Xeno and Luna walked in after her and she closed the doors behind them. They all dropped their hoods as Xeno and Luna took in their surroundings nervously.  
A corridor stretched out in front of them, ending in what Luna took as greenery and flowers. There were two more corridors to the left and right of them. After the corridor on the right, was a slim, stone staircase leading straight up to the second floor.  
The interior felt pleasantly cool. The stone inside was grey instead.  
A young man came down the middle corridor.  
He wore a charcoal coat on top of three quarter length slacks of the same colour. White socks came up to meet the hems. He wore a grey vest and a white shirt with ruffles. A necklace held a crest in the shape of a 'V.' His boots were loud and echoey on the stone floor.  
He came to the end of the corridor and stood in front of them. His hair was black and cropped short. His nose was large and slightly pointed. He had small red eyes under bushy, black eyebrows. His skin pale white.  
Chelsea walked to his side and embraced him before kissing his cheek.  
"Afton, this is Xenophilius and Luna Cain. Xenophilius and Luna, this is my Mate, Afton."  
"Please, call me Xeno," Xeno said warmly, shaking Afton's hand.  
Afton smiled back.  
A man came out of the corridor to the left and stopped short, waiting patiently.  
He was tall and muscular. His red eyes were piercing and his hair was black and dread locked. He was the first dark skinned Vampire Luna had seen. His skin a smooth, warm, dark olive. He was dressed similarly to Afton which looked slightly funny on his build.  
"The Brothers would like to see you, Xeno," Afton said. "Santiago shall take Miss Cain to the Common Room where she'll be looked after."  
Xeno gave Luna a comforting smile and headed down the middle corridor after Chelsea and Afton.  
"Follow me, please Miss," Santiago said gruffly. His voice was a deep rumble.  
Luna walked to him and he offered to take her bag.  
She thanked him as she passed it to him.  
He walked back down the left corridor. He wore his dread locks in a ponytail, and they swung as he strode.  
The corridor had three doors on one side and then two on the other. They were same polished dark wood as the front door. They came to the end and Luna noticed all the corridors ended at the one place. A large courtyard was in front of them. It was filled with bushes and rose trees, neat and organised.  
The building continued, two long corridors running on either side of the courtyard.  
On the other side of the courtyard was a large room. A set of double doors sat in the middle, also polished, dark wood. A stone path ran through the middle of the courtyard to reach the doors.  
Santiago and Luna only had to turn the corner and he led her straight into the room on the end.  
This room was dark, but comfortable. Candles were lit all around it and it was filled with furniture.  
"Wait here, please Miss," Santiago commanded. He placed her bag on the floor and walked out again, leaving a gap in the door.  
Luna turned back to the room. In the middle of the back wall was a fireplace. A small fire was weakly chewing on the wood that rested there.  
In both corners of the room were couches and armchairs. The couches bent round the corners and the armchairs sat in front, each creating two little sitting areas.  
Two long couches sat straight in front of the fire, facing each other with a little table in the middle to separate them.  
A long dining table, with chairs filling every space, sat in the middle of the room, long ways. It was made of the same dark, polished wood that all the doors were. The wall behind Luna, that shared the door, was lined with bookcases, filled with ancient, old tomes.  
The floor was dark timber, but deep red carpets sat under the table and the three lounges.  
The walls were grey stone and windowless. Some spaces had flaming torches and others had paintings. They must have split the floor into corridors to fit in the rooms.  
Luna looked around the room in awe. Soon she heard the sound of shoes clacking against stone ringing outside. She turned to face the door and clasped her hands behind her back respectively, but twisting the ring on her finger nervously.  
The door creaked open again, filling the room with natural sunlight. A plump, short woman walked in. She had hair the colour of warm wood and was braided into a bun, very similar to Luna's. Her skin was pale and smooth and hid her wrinkles, but there was no denying that she was at least over fifty.  
Despite her size, she was still quite intimidating, but that feeling past when the woman turned her blood red eyes on her and gave her a warm smile.  
"How do you do, my dear," she greeted. Her voice was gentle and warm but held a hint of gruffness. "My goodness! What a young thing you are," she gasped, taking in the girl's pretty features. Although she was a child, she could see maturity in her features.  
"You must be Miss Cain," she continued.  
"Luna," she replied, shaking her hand. "Don't worry I'm really much older than I look."  
"Oh, I don't doubt you are," the woman chuckled. "I'm Hazel. I'll look after you while you settle in."  
Santiago walked back in.  
"Santiago. Would you please take Luna's bag up to room ten on floor two?" She asked.  
Santiago nodded and picked up her bag again.  
"Let me show you around the castle," Hazel said, gesturing outside.  
Luna pulled off her cloak and hung it over her arm. She kept her arms in front of her and twisted the ring on her finger. She walked back out with Hazel.  
"Quite an easy layout," Hazel said as they walked. "The ground floor only has the extension," she gestured to the building beyond the Courtyard.  
"What we're standing in now is the Clock Tower. This floor is filled with rooms for our less experienced Guards. If they stay with us they move up to the second floor."  
They walked down the corridor that went to the left of the courtyard.  
"This room here," Hazel said, gesturing to room at the end of the Courtyard, "is the Training Room. Most of the Guard are in there now. That's where I just came from.  
"The training is monthly. But sometimes you can be called in to practise a power."  
The corridor had glassless windows, allowing the warm, Italian air to breeze through. It became darker as the Courtyard ended. Antiques lined the corridors at even intervals. Armoires, chests and statues carved of dark, polished wood.  
The right wall became curved, then bent right round. The other corridor's left wall bent round to meet the left corridor's wall, opening into another room.  
A round room made of stone wall sat there. A pair of dark, polished double doors sat in the middle of it.  
On either side of the round room were flights of a few, quick steps. The flight in front of Hazel and Luna was open, but the flight on the other side were closed off with a red ribbon. A large desk sat on the other side of the room, in front of the closed staircase. Two tall, bookcases sat behind it.  
"This is the reception area. Our receptionist seems to be away at the moment. This room here," Hazel pointed to the rounded room with the double doors, "is the Throne Room. The Brothers spend most of their time here.  
"The stair wells on the sides are alternate entrances but they're hardly used."  
Hazel and Luna walked to other side of the room and walked back down the other corridor.  
It became lighter as they past the courtyard again.  
"Are you familiar with the laws, Luna?" Hazel asked.  
"Yes. Most of the basic ones," Luna admitted.  
"Well, bid farewell to following the law, you are the law now," Hazel smiled.  
They entered the Clock Tower part again and headed down the corridor. This one only had three doors on one side, for the other wall was the staircase.  
"Now Guards are expected to do everything they're told. You report for Training, perform assigned missions, clean the castle and keep you rooms neat. Also Heidi brings humans for feeding every two weeks, although we do keep humans handy," Hazel explained as they climbed the stairs.  
The next floor felt smaller than the last, but the rooms it held looked bigger.  
The corridor ran from the stairs, down the middle of the floor, to the other end. Luna could see three little corridors on each side.  
Right next to the stairs was another flight going up to the next level. There was a cupboard under it and two doors on the wall opposite. A little window looking over the city was at the end.  
"My room is the furthest one," Hazel said, pointing down the corridor.  
All the corridors had two doors for two rooms. Some had doors on both walls but then some only had one wall containing doors.  
Luna followed Hazel to last corridors. Hazel turned right at the end. Four doors were in this corridor, two on the left and two opposite on the right. A window let in some light at the end.  
Hazel walked to the end, to the second room on the left wall.  
She opened the door and stood to the side. She smiled at Luna as she walked in.  
The door was in the bottom left corner. Along the same wall was a double bed with a dark, wooden frame. Opposite was a window that jutted out. Two panels went out diagonally to meet it. An armchair sat in that space. To the left of the wall sat a small armoire. Along the left wall was an actual porcelain bath, fitted plumbing and everything.  
One the right wall, behind the bed was a low and long chest of drawers. A mirror hung on the wall above it. The floor space before the Armoire was a light coloured timber and the rest was a cream carpet. The walls were a simple white. The room was practically bare but the bed was dressed in white linen.  
"I hope you like it. I had it cleaned before you came. This is one of the few rooms that have a window, so it's a bit lighter."  
"It's beautiful, thank you," Luna beamed at her.  
Hazel gave a relieved smile. "Oh, that reminds me. I'll fetch your uniform." She left the room.  
Luna's bag sat on the bed and she put her cloak onto it too.  
Hazel returned with a pile of linen. She placed it onto the bed.  
"This is the uniform. You need to wear this everyday. There are more in the Armoire. I'll leave you to get changed and settled." With a smile she walked to the door. "Oh, and these doors lock from the inside," she said, pointing to the door handle.  
"Thanks," Luna smiled and Hazel closed the door.  
Luna pulled the zipper of her dress down her back to her hips. She took hold of the sleeves and pulled the dress off her chest. She pulled it down and stepped out.  
Now she had on the white under garment. The sleeves only covered her shoulders, but the skirt went down to her feet. The neck was tight and had the lace collar you could see poking out of her dresses. On top of the under garment she wore a white corset around her chest and stomach. It wasn't a hard one. The material was strong and didn't bend and fold in its own. It was tied tightly to her on her back. She picked up the new dress and let it unfold.  
She stepped into the skirt and pulled it up. She put her arms in the sleeves and pulled it to her chest and zipped up the back. The dress was a perfect fit. She walked to the mirror and neatened the collar. She straightened the sleeves and smoothed out the skirt. It ended just above the floor.  
The shade was a deep grey, a charcoal. It was the same as Chelsea and Hazel's.  
Satisfied, she picked up her other dress and luckily there were spare coat hangers in the Armoire. She hung up the purple dress and took her spare out of her bag too.  
She put her book into the draw of the bedside table.  
Her art supplies and parchment now lived in one of the drawers in the chest of drawers. She put her hair brush and clips in another.  
She found a spare pillow in the Armoire and stuffed it into the thin, top shelf. She opened her bag wider and Blue flew out. She held out her palm and Blue rested on it.  
She tickled him under his chin and he closed his eyes in appreciation.  
"Good boy," she cooed. "You're going to live in here, okay?"  
She held him up the shelf and he flapped in happily. His big, black eyes blinked out at her. Luna chuckled and grabbed her bag and put it at the bottom before leaving a gap in the door.  
There was one more thing she'd forgotten to do.  
She picked up the gold chain from her bed. On the end was a heavy crest. A golden 'V' was the shape and along the top was a blood red gem, wings on either side. In the middle of the 'V' was a plaque divided into four. The picture of a tree, with thick, bare branches was in the top left and bottom right corners. The picture of a powerful bird in flight was in the top right and bottom left corners.  
The point of the 'V' was a red diamond.  
Luna walked back over to the mirror and slipped the chain over her head and pushed it over her bun. She hid the chain under the lace collar and made sure the crest hung in the middle of her chest.


	9. The Guard

Chapter Nine

The Guard

Night time in Volterra was cooler than the day and also much more beautiful. Luna's night vision allowed her to define the shapes of trees and buildings from the view outside her window. She was on the side of the castle.  
The bright, full moon, looming over the country side, lightened the sky to a navy blue. The tiny stars could barely compete with such a magnificent moon.  
The halls of the Clock Tower were darker, but more flaming torches were ignited on the walls.  
"Most are quite friendly but then others prefer to stick to themselves," Hazel muttered as she and Luna walked through the corridors of the first floor.  
"Some have the most beautiful but horrifying histories, quite tortured."  
Hazel registered the nervous glimmer in Luna's eyes. She stopped her and put her hands on her shoulders.  
"They'll like you, given time to know you."  
Luna smiled at her and Hazel nodded comfortingly. She hooked her arm through Luna's and they turned the corner to the Common Room.  
Hazel released her as she went to door. "They should be arriving soon," Hazel muttered more to herself.  
Luna kept her posture straight and respectable as she entered.  
"Oh, pardon me, Sir," Hazel apologised as she acknowledged the presence of the young boy leaning on the fireplace. The fire was powerful and lit the whole room in an orange glow, making the room more shadowed. The room was also empty, apart from him.  
"Not at all, Hazel," the boy replied, not looking at her.  
His voice was deep and it made Luna vibrate from the inside at the sound. But it still had the playful edge of a young boy.  
Luna closed the door as Hazel walked in deeper.  
"You'll be the first to meet Miss Cain then," she beamed.  
Only then did he look over, and he stared at Luna with his blood red eyes.  
He felt surprised at first, then pleased, and then curious. He was expecting a Vampire who _looked_ older, but her age made him feel that much more intrigued. Oh yes, and she was pretty too.  
"Miss Cain," he said, stepping away from the fireplace and gesturing towards the couches.  
Luna walked over to him and Hazel followed.  
He wore a uniform similar to Afton and Santiago on his lean build. His height was only just above Luna's, possibly five feet and eight inches, suggesting his age was very young.  
His face suggested it too. His lips were full and the edges were sharply defined, his skin, like them all, was white and smooth. His nose was slightly pointed and he looked at her through his blood red eyes, shining in the candle light.  
His hair wasn't long but it wasn't short either. It was such a dark shade of brown, it could be mistaken for black in the darkness, but the light in the room gave it a woody hue. His thick eyebrows were the same colour.  
The boy extended his hand and Luna shook it.  
"Luna, this is Alec, Alec this is Luna Cain," Hazel introduced.  
"Pleasure," he smirked. His face had a permanent expression of amused arrogance which Luna found slightly off putting.  
"Please, have a seat," he said. Luna and Hazel sat on the couch to the right and he sat opposite them on the left. He leaned against the arm and put his ankle on his knee.  
"So," he began, thinking of a question. "How have you found Volterra so far?"  
"It's a beautiful city," Luna smiled.  
"It is," Alec agreed with a nod. "Do you know of what your position in the Guard is yet?"  
"No, Sir."  
"They'll think of something. I'm sure we're very lucky to have her with us. She'll make a wonderful Guard Member," Hazel imputed.  
Luna smiled her thanks and Alec only looked at her through the corner of his eye.  
"We'll see. I'll decide that for myself," he said simply.  
Luna began to twist her ring again in discomfort.  
"Forgive for asking a potentially rude question, Miss Cain, but what is your age?" Alec asked.  
Luna smiled. "What age are you inquiring?"  
"Perpetually," he smiled back.  
"Fourteen, Sir."  
His smile grew and he raised his eyebrows as he sat up straighter.  
"Interesting," he said. He looked to Hazel. "I've never known a Vampire perpetually younger than Jane and myself."  
"And how old was the record, Sir," Luna asked.  
"We're fifteen, Jane and I. You'll meet her later. When the rest of the Guard come," Alec said.  
Before Luna could ask who Jane was, Hazel was already asking a question clouding her mind.  
"If I might ask," Hazel began, "why were you here by yourself, Sir?"  
"I wasn't required. They released me early," he sighed, as if tired of it.  
Footsteps and laughter echoed outside which ceased as the door opened again.  
Three men and two women walked in.  
All the men were tall and muscular. The two women didn't look particularly imposing. One was dark skinned and had wavy black hair, just past her shoulders. The other woman was pale and had lank, brown hair.  
"Ah, this is the new girl, is it?" The pale woman said, her voice containing an icy edge. The group walked over and Luna and Hazel stood, while Alec watched on, amused.  
Luna decided she wanted to speak for herself.  
"I'm Luna," she smiled shaking the woman's hand.  
She returned it slowly, with a scrutinising expression.  
"Beatrice," she replied.  
"Elizabeth," the other woman said as Luna moved on. She seemed a bit more welcoming.  
The men introduced themselves as Lance, Vincent and Flynn.  
More people arrived in groups and the noise in the Common Room began to fill.  
Some were familiar faces like Afton and Chelsea and then the was one man she recognised from the Volturi's visit to her house.  
They all moved and sat in little friendship groups and packs. No outsiders allowed. Some sat by themselves.  
Hazel pointed out some individuals and named them. "There's Jack. And this is Fletcher. He's William and that's Cedric."  
There were about eighteen Guard Members in the room, but these were most of them.  
The door opened suddenly and a young girl confidently strode in. She walked around the table towards them and Alec stood to greet her. Luna and Hazel stood too.  
Her dress was the same design and colour as Luna and Hazel's, but it was more decadently decorated. The sleeves and collar were cuffed in a lacy, gold material.  
Her build was slight and thin, her height only reaching five feet and four inches, only a little under Luna.  
Her hair was blonde and the fire light made it shine. The style was parted down the middle and thick plaits were coiled into two buns on each side of her head.  
Her skin was pale and perfect, her eyes blood red, bordered with black lashes and dark eye shadow, making them stand out that much more. Her nose was quite pointed, like Alec's, and her lips were full too. Her face was simply childlike, but she was very beautiful and had a commanding edge to her features.  
The more Luna thought about it, the more Alec and Jane looked alike.  
Alec put his arm around Jane's shoulders as she arrived.  
"Luna, this is my twin sister Jane. Jane, this is Luna Cain."  
"Pleasure," Luna smiled genuinely as she offered her hand.  
Jane nodded as she shook it.  
They all sat back down.  
"What held everyone up so much, sister?" Alec asked.  
"Just the usual," Jane replied. He voice was rather flat and authoritative, but still feminine.  
"I'll be back in a moment," Hazel said. She stood and walked away.  
"So Luna. Have you been assigned to a position?" Jane asked.  
"No Ma'am," Luna replied.  
"I'll be interested to see where they put you," Jane commented smiling at Alec.  
"As will I," Luna said.  
The atmosphere in the room was very cold and awkward. The groups of Guard whispered their conversations and she could feel stares of arrogance boring through her body.  
No one else came sit by Alec and Jane. They did have an arrogant vibe of 'don't mess with us.' But Luna couldn't pick out why she felt like that.  
The doors to the Common Room opened and a young man peered in. He was pale and had mousy brown hair.  
"Luna Cain," he called, looking around the room.  
Luna stood. "Yes," she answered.  
"The Brothers will see you now," the man said.  
Luna smiled to Alec and Jane as she left and they nodded goodbye.  
Hazel looked up from the group she was talking with and asked with a gesture if she wanted her to come.  
"I'll be okay," Luna said. She walked out of the room and closed the doors.  
"Miss Cain, Demitri," the man said, offering his hand.  
"Luna," she replied as she shook it.  
This man did look familiar. Then she realised he was one of the Guard Members who had accompanied Aro to her house.  
They headed down the dark, left corridor towards the Throne Room.


	10. The Bodyguard

Chapter Ten

The Bodyguard

The footsteps of Demitri and Luna echoed through the long hall. The torches burning on the walls gave the corridor an eerie, orange glow. The glassless windows sent a cool, night time breeze blowing in. The buzzing conversation of the Common Room finally diminished as the pair past the courtyard and deeper into the hall. The right wall soon opened up to reveal the Reception area. Demitri strode purposefully towards the double doors, the entrance to the Throne Room.  
The door handle clicked and echoed, the dark, polished wood doors swung open with a heavy whoosh, and creaked as they did so.  
Demitri took his place on the right side of the door. Luna walked in cautiously, her boots echoing on the grey, stone floor. On the left of the door was a giant man. He was muscular, like them all but his height was impossible. He had black hair and stern features that had a playful edge to them. He scrutinised her through blood red eyes. Luna also recognised him. He was the last man she had seen at her house.  
Demitri and the... Giant, closed the doors after her and remained there.  
"Thank you, Demitri," came the soft voice of Aro.  
The Throne Room had stone pillars running along the outside of it, holding up a section of the roof that ran around the room. Then the roof went up and up into a glass dome, with a stained glass pattern using cream, scarlet and plum colours.  
On the other side of the room was a raised platform with four stairs going up to it. On the platform were three Thrones. To the right, on the side of the room, was a long, polished table, covered in books and candles. Four chairs were placed around it.  
A large, circular drain, with a black grate, sat in the middle of the stone floor.  
Xenophilius walked towards his Daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He walked forward with her, bringing her closer to the three Brothers.  
Aro stood on the steps, watching her with a faraway expression on his face.  
Two men sat on the outer thrones. The man on the left looked to be in his late fifties. He had wavy black hair, drifting just past his shoulders. His skin was pale white and wrinkly. It almost looked like paper.  
He sat straight, but comfortably, in his chair, watching her curiously with his red eyes that had a milky film over them.  
The man on the right looked... Simply uninterested and annoyed. He looked to be in his early twenties. He had straight, blonde hair that ended sharply above his shoulders. His skin was pale and smooth and he rested his head on his hand. He looked from Luna to around the room with his red eyes.  
A young woman stood a reasonable distance behind the Thrones. She too wore the same uniform as Luna. Her features were calm, delicate and almost tired looking. Her skin was pale and her eyes were red. She had curly, dark brown hair that billowed around her shoulders and down to her elbows.  
"Marcus, Caius, this is Miss Luna Cain, Xenophilius' biological Daughter," Aro introduced. His voice was high and enthusiastic.  
Marcus nodded his head in acknowledgement, Luna returned a small smile, but Caius only gave a hum and waved one of the fingers under his chin lazily.  
"Now, Miss Cain," Aro said turning back to her. "I have been talking with your Father and we've been thinking about an appropriate position to utilise your gift-"  
"Her power is useless," Caius drawled loudly.  
"Brother, please," Aro said sternly. "Gifts can be developed and trained."  
Caius rolled his eyes.  
"Quite an... Interesting gift you have, Miss Cain," Aro began. "We think it would be most appreciated being used in a Bodyguard position. We have very valuable members here with the most powerful and rare gifts that need to be protected. And we would like to put you with the Twins."  
Luna faltered. "Alec and Jane?"  
Marcus smiled to himself at the sound of her mesmerising, Irish brogue.  
Aro beamed. "So you've met them then?"  
"Yes, Sir," Luna answered.  
"Excellent. Well, I think we're all sorted and established here. Has Hazel gone over the ground rules and requirements with you?"  
"Yes, Sir," Luna nodded.  
"Excellent."  
The was a rap on the door and Demitri and the Giant automatically jumped to open the doors. They swung open powerfully and a lean and muscular man walked in.  
He wore the same suit all the male Guards were clad in. His features were calm and stern, his skin pale and his red eyes twinkled in the candle light.  
His hair was curly and dirty blonde.  
"Ah, Christian!" Aro called. "Miss Luna this is Christian, the Head of the Guard. Christian this is Luna Cain."  
Christian nodded to her simply.  
"Now, Luna has been appointed the position of Alec and Jane's Bodyguard-"  
Christian raised his eyebrows in amusement.  
"Could you please write her a list of jobs and responsibilities for her to follow?"  
"Of course Master," he replied.  
"Thank you, Christian," Aro said.  
Christian nodded then blurred out of the Throne Room.  
Aro turned his head back to Luna. "Thank you Miss Cain for coming. And Good Luck."  
"Thank you, Sir," Luna said. She gave a small smile and shared a look with Xeno as she turned around.  
She walked out of the Throne Room, twisting the ring around her finger nervously, for she could feel the stares of the four men behind her.  
Demitri and the Giant smiled at her as she past them and they closed the doors. Their collision echoed around the empty Reception area.  
Luna breathed out, releasing all her tension. Aro didn't seem so bad. He was friendly and... Borderline creepy.  
Luna shook her head and walked back down the right corridor. Three sparrows flapped and flew past the window, chirping as they went.  
The sounds of conversation buzzed louder and louder in Luna's ears as she came closer to the Common Room. The corridors enveloped her in warmth again as she entered them. She went straight down the corridor in front of her, the one next to the staircase.  
She turned and jumped onto the first step before stopping suddenly. Her ears picked up another sound other than talking. She heard the pattering of little feet in little shoes running across the floor. She looked around. It had to be coming from one of those rooms. She pricked her ears again for the strange sound, but it had gone. Then she heard the clattering of something being picked up then put down. The unusual sounds disappeared. Whatever is was, it was probably perfectly normal to the Guard. Everything was strange to the unaccustomed Luna in the Castle.  
She shook her head and jogged up the stairs, retiring to her room.


	11. The Immortal Children

**Author's Note: This Chapter is undoubtably dedicated to ilovecoffee and NaoKyeRay.**  
**Thank you for following, favouriting and for your supportive reviews.**

Chapter Eleven

The Immortal Children

The corridors in the morning had a damp chill to them, like the walls absorbed the moisture in the air. Luna noticed the prickly cold when she stepped out of her room, her braided bun freshly done and ready for a new day.  
Luna looked out of the window at the end of the corridor. The sky was a lovely, but dark blue. The horizon glowed with an orange light from where the sun was rising, at this early hour, promising a warm day.  
Luna headed down the stairs to the first floor. Few Guards were floating around the corridors.  
The castle was calm and quiet, apart from the murmured conversations reaching Luna's ears.  
Unsure of what to do, she hoped to find Hazel in the Common Room. She headed down the entrance hall and turned down the left corridor, to where the Common Room sat at the end.  
Footsteps rang from the other end and the dark skinned Vampire Luna had met yesterday came round the corner.  
"Good morning, Elizabeth," Luna called.  
"Oh, hello Luna," she replied politely.  
"Have you seen Hazel lately?"  
"Yes, actually. She's in there," Elizabeth pointed to the door to Luna's right. It was the room on the corner.  
Elizabeth opened the door. "Come in," she said.  
Luna walked in after her and closed the door. The door was in the bottom, left hand corner of the room. The room was windowless and candles lit it dimly.  
At the far end of the room was a large writing desk. A single bed and a bookcase was along the same wall as the door, on the opposite wall were two single beds.  
Along the left wall was a fitted bath tub and an Armoire sat opposite the door.  
The floor had warm, wooden boards with red rugs under the beds.  
Puzzles and books laid about the room.  
Hazel stood in the middle of the room watching its inhabitants. Elizabeth and Luna joined her.  
"Good morning, ladies," Hazel beamed as she noticed their arrival.  
Two young boys, one five and the other three, played with wooden cars on the floor. They added sound affects as the wheels scraped across the wooden floor. They both had mops of dark hair on their heads. On the lonely bed, to the right of the room, sat a little girl with her legs crossed. Her big dress, which had a checked pattern of red, white and black squares and lines, flowed around her. A book was open in front of her. She only looked about seven. Her skin was pale and lovely, but no sign of childish, pink blush on her cheeks. Her hair was a pale brown and was permed into five perfect, thick curls down her back. Her lips were full and pink and her nose was tiny and delicate. She looked up at Luna with big, shining eyes the bright colour of blood.  
Luna looked back to boys in shock. She listened hard for heartbeats, but there was nothing. The five year straightened up and she got a better look at his flawless face and red eyes.  
"They're... Immortal," Luna gasped, her face crinkled in worry and confusion.  
"Yes. You're aware of that law too?" Hazel asked, her tone flat and unsurprised.  
Luna could only nod.  
"Of late the Volturi have decided to revisit that law in more... Precise detail," Hazel began. "These children have been with us only five years. Elizabeth and I are trying to teach them and control their bloodlust. At the moment the law stands at thirteen years, but we're looking more thoroughly at an exact age."  
"It's not going well so far," Elizabeth said flatly.  
Hazel turned her head to her, as if to say something, but then looked away again sadly.  
The snapping of wood brought them all out of the thoughts. The older boy jumped on top of the younger one and started biting him, leaving permanent scars in his skin from the venom.  
They began fighting and rolling around on the floor. Elizabeth strode forward quickly and pulled the boys apart.  
"What do you teach them?" Luna asked, moving closer to Hazel.  
"Just reading, writing, the importance of law, about the world, try to build their resistance. Anything that can be taught," Hazel replied. "Antonio and Victor are such handfuls for Beth and I, but Florence is so good, so quiet. We forget she's even there half the time," she gave a sad chuckle.  
"Could you use some extra help?" Luna asked. "I could teach Florence if you'd let me."  
Hazel breathed in deeply and pursed her lips. "Well. I guess it would help. Yes, you may teach her," Hazel decided. "But don't spend all your time with her."  
Luna beamed. "Thank you, Hazel."  
Hazel smiled wearily and turned to the girl sitting on the bed.  
"Miss Florence," she called.  
Florence looked up immediately and jumped off the bed. She skipped over to them.  
"I'd like to introduce Miss Luna Cain to you," Hazel said warmly, bending over a bit to match her height.  
Florence only stood just under Luna's shoulder.  
Florence smiled meekly and curtsied. "Buon giorno Signora!" She said a calm and soft voice that had a hint of a soprano.  
Luna smiled awkwardly and looked to Hazel.  
Hazel paused before chirping, "Did I mention they're Italian?"

"Not a worry," Hazel said.  
She and Luna sat on the corner couches in the left of the Common Rooom. A group of male guards sat at the end of the table and a group, three men and two woman, occupied the other corner lounge.  
"They don't speak Italian all the time. They're quite fluent in English and we try to have them speaking English all the time, but they... You know, forget.  
"Most of the things they say in Italian are understandable anyway, and you get used to it."  
Luna nodded.  
The doors to the Common Room opened and Christain walked in. He scanned the room and spotted Luna and Hazel. Triumphantly he walked over to them, carrying a piece of parchment in his hand.  
Luna stood at his arrival.  
"Miss Cain, here is your list," he presented her the paper.  
"I'm sure Hazel will go over anything unclear with you."  
"Thank you, Sir," Luna said.  
He nodded his goodbye and left the room.  
"Let's have a look," Hazel said as Luna sat back down.  
"Okay, you're training is every month on the fifteenth, but they're calling you in tomorrow to practise your power.  
"You have a morning city patrol every day from five till half past seven in the morning.  
"And you must watch Alec and Jane every night. Every second night with Jane and the others with Alec from six to nine o'clock at night."  
Luna nodded.  
"Anything unclear, dear?"  
"No, that's all okay. So during the day from half past seven till six o'clock I have nothing and then at night from nine till five, I'm also free?"  
"Yes, that's correct. Look's like you officially start tomorrow."


	12. The Power of Apparition

Chapter Twelve

The Power of Apparition

Midday of the next day came and Luna descended the stairs tensely. She headed down the middle corridor, the courtyard sitting at the end and behind that the Training Room, the large wooden doors perfectly in the middle of her sights.  
She exited the hall and walked into the courtyard. Two long green bushes ran along the perimeter, except for against the wall of the Training Room. In between the bush and wall was a path running from side to side of the flanking corridors. There was an opening in the bush to allow you to get the door.  
The path was made of cobblestone. To each side there were two large garden beds filled with roses in white, red and pink. In the middle of the path, Luna was walking up, was a thin garden bed holding three, lanky rose trees, separating the path into two ways.  
There was no roof over the courtyard, just a roofless space in the middle of the building. The sun beat down on Luna's back, making her visible neck glisten. A white butterfly fluttered over the green, perfectly manicured bushes. It fluttered over Luna as she walked through the gap.  
She came to the dark double doors, the wood gleaming brightly in the sun. She inhaled deeply and knocked on the door.  
"Come in," came the voice of Christian.  
Luna opened the door, which was surprisingly heavy. It dragged open and Luna stepped in.  
The room was dark and dimly lit with two stands holding a tray of large candles.  
There were only two square windows, one each on each sides of the door, looking out into the picturesque courtyard. A skylight was in the roof, casting a spotlight effect in the middle of the floor. The floors were a smooth, grey stone and the walls were the same as the interiors in the rest of the castle. The back wall corners were round, Luna noted the Reception area must be directly behind that wall. There was no furniture in this room, apart from a couple of marble benches dotted around the room, a few of which were smashed to rubble.  
Christian turned to face her, another man by his side. This other man was one Luna had seen from the Common Room the other night. He had straight, black hair and the common Vampire traits of pale skin and red eyes.  
His face had an awkward and shy look to it, like he could be pushed around easily.  
"Miss Cain, this is Richard, Second in Command of the Guard. Richard, this is Luna Cain," Christian gestured between the two.  
Luna smiled at him and he returned it with a nod.  
Richard kept his arms behind his back respectively whereas Christian kept his arm folded up and across his chest, showing his arrogant confidence.  
A couple of Guards suddenly walked in. They kept quiet, as if they didn't want to be noticed. They floated to the corners and sides of the room. Two more Guards entered after them and the door closed for the last time. They were Demitri and his giant friend.  
"Looks like we have an audience," Christian announced, amusement clinging to his voice.  
'_Oh hell_," Luna thought.  
A couple of the Guards laughed in agreement. Christian was apparently well liked.  
"Hopefully we'll get a couple of volunteer's out of you lot."  
Another chorus of laughter.  
"Right. Miss Cain, what is your power?"  
"Apparition, Sir."  
"Where does it originate? Where's the source?"  
"My instincts,' Luna replied confidently.  
"So..."  
"If I feel as if I will be struck it turns on, but now I can call it on whether I need it or not."  
Christian nodded. "Felix," he called.  
The giant walked forward. He stood next to Luna and towered over her menacingly.  
"Do your worst, it won't matter apparently."  
Felix nodded and Luna turned to face him. No fear blazed in her eyes, only a devious determination.  
Felix swung his fist as hard as could through her body and went straight through. Luna embraced the familiar feeling of being wobbly and heavy, like she was water.  
Felix stumbled, but caught himself. He tried again and again, soon trying her head while Christian and the Guard watched on with wide eyes.  
Felix didn't feel frustrated. He was quite fascinated himself.  
"Thank you, Felix," Christian said.  
Felix stopped attempting to punch the young girl and stepped back.  
"Can you spread it, protect others beside yourself?" Christian asked.  
"Yes," Luna answered.  
Christian looked back expectantly to Richard and nervously he walked forward.  
"I can only spread it through my hands," Luna added.  
"With time and training we might be able to get it to radiate all over your body," Christian thought aloud.  
Richard offered his hand and Luna closed hers over it.  
Christian nodded to Felix, Richard closed his eyes and tensed while Luna called on the protection.  
Felix swung his fist through Richard and he blanched at the nausea but remained holding on to Luna. It wasn't so bad the second time. Felix tried again and again before sneaking a quick swipe at Luna, just in case, but to no prevail.  
Christian signalled for him to back off and Felix stood to the side.  
"That was very strange," Richard gasped, stepping away from Luna.  
"You did well," Luna complimented.  
'_Dad practically fainted the first time_,' Luna thought it best to keep this information private.  
Richard's eyes moved to Felix and Luna felt the air move behind her, she quickly tensed and Felix's fist appeared through her chest.  
"You're reflexes are good," Christian commented and Felix withdrew his fist. The moment he left her body her world stilled and cleared.  
"That'll be all. Show's over folks," he said and the Guard filed out of the room.  
"I'll see you next week for your official training, Miss Cain," Christian said.  
"Thank you, Sir," Luna nodded and left the room quickly.


	13. Six Till Nine

**Author's Note: Thank you to my new follower BeckieP14. The support of you all is... So inspiring**  
**and driving and... Words can't describe how excited and happy it makes me to see**  
**another follower or favouriter or review!**

Chapter Thirteen

Six Till Nine

Alec looked at the clock in Jane's room. The seconds hand swirled slowly around the face, ten seconds till it reached the top again, pulling the minute hand onto the twelve, signalling the new hour of six.  
The minute hand clicked into place and there was a knock on the door.  
"Come in," Jane said from her place on the couch.  
The door was in the bottom left corner, along the same wall a bath sat deep in the corner, floorboards surrounding the area.  
Jane's room didn't have any windows, not being next to the perimeter wall of the second floor building, but she did have a fireplace, being exactly on top of the Common Room. It was connected to one in the Common Room below and it sat on the right wall. Two couches sat before it, a small table separating them. On the left wall, and immediately visible from the moment the door was opened was a large bed, flanked by small tables on either side. On the back wall was a large Armoire and a long, but short, set of drawers.  
The fire gave the room a bright glow but Jane had lit lamps around the room. The room's furniture was a deep colour of wood, the firelight shining of it. The bed linen and carpets were blood red. The room did have a demonic feel about it and it suited Jane perfectly.  
The door opened quickly and Luna appeared.  
"Good evening Miss Jane," Luna smiled. Alec noted how very kind and gentle her face was with a hint of smugness to it.  
"You too, Sir," Luna added when she saw Alec standing in front of the fireplace.  
"Good evening, Luna," Jane said politely.  
Alec simply nodded.  
"May I take a moment to acknowledge how uncanny and simply humiliating it was to realise your doors are exactly opposite from mine," Luna commented as she closed the door.  
Alec chuckled, with genuine amusement and Jane actually smiled.  
"Luna," Jane began, standing up as Luna approached them. "This position Aro has placed you in is extremely awkward and insulting for us," Jane trailed off.  
"Then I'll pretend not to exist for three hours," Luna finished.  
Jane smiled as she nodded.  
"We're going to get along very well," she said.

Alec and Jane sat on their own couch, facing each other. Luna sat on the chest at the end of Jane's bed, watching on. She occasionally gave glances to the clock above the fireplace, each hour passing quite quickly.  
"What did you do today, Luna?" Jane asked.  
"I had a Training Session," Luna answered.  
"How did that go?"  
Luna paused and thought about her answer making Alec and Jane smile again with amusement.  
"For want of a better word... Alright," she said eventually.  
Finding no where to take this conversation topic, Luna asked them another question.  
"Am I the only bodyguard?"  
"For us, yes," Alec sighed. "But the Brothers, (more particularly, Aro,) have a bodyguard. Her name's Renata. And she's with them all the time."  
"I've got an easy job, then," Luna said, more to herself.  
"The wives are heavily guarded," Alec pointed to the roof above them, "but they mainly have Corin looking after them."  
The conversation died down and they all sat in awkward silence. The wood in the fire cracked and popped as it heated and the flames caused its surface to decay into ash.  
"Well, Sister. I'm feeling a little peckish," Alec said as he stood up.  
"Really? Heidi will back in... What, three days," Jane replied.  
"I only got one last time," Alec defended. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Good night," Jane said.  
"Luna," Alec dipped his head as he passed her.  
The door closed and Alec's footsteps disappeared down the hallway, the room once more falling into silence.  
Jane stood and walked to the chest of drawers. She picked up a book and went back to the couch.  
"What are you reading, Miss Jane," Luna asked.  
"Bit of History on the United Kingdom. It is interesting to know what happened after Alec and I left. Books have been one of the greatest inventions I've seen."  
Luna nodded in agreement.  
The last five minutes past and the minute hand drifted over the twelve, casting the Roman Numeral into shadow.  
It was nine o'clock.  
Luna stood. "Good night, Miss Jane."  
Jane glanced at the clock too. She looked over her shoulder. "Good evening, Luna."  
Luna left the room and closed the door quietly behind her.


	14. Fifty Shades of Grey and Green

**Author's Note: Thank you to Tsuki no Yasha for your review and thank you to PersephoneLovesHades for following. I'll clarify again that Luna and Xeno have no relation to the Lovegoods from Harry Potter, they are completely different characters. I'm just using the names.**

Chapter Fourteen

Fifty Shades of Grey and Green

Fletcher leaned against the front entrance to the Clock Tower. He had the hood of his grey cloak up and hiding his head and face, his posture slouched and his vibe negative. He was early and it wasn't quite five yet, but even so he heard the sound of boots coming down the stairs.  
He quickly straightened up and pulled the hood off his head, revealing hair so blonde it could be mistaken for white. The locks were straight and they clumped together in thick spikes.  
His eyes were deep red and stood out boldly against his white skin.  
His eyes were big but very cold. His nose was slight and his lips were thin. He was only nineteen when he was changed.  
Luna finished descending the stairs and she walked along the corridor towards him.  
Fletcher stood upright at her approach. He had seen Luna before, in the Common Room, but like most of the Guard, he hadn't wanted to talk to her.  
Fletcher made Luna feel cold on the inside. His demeanour and looks made the room feel chilly.  
He had made his decision, like the rest of the Guard, he wasn't going to like her. He knew how petty it sounded to be jealous and disliking of her, but he couldn't help this powerful feeling.  
Most of the Guards that hated her lived on the Ground Floor, the hall in which he and Luna stood, and he resided here too.  
You had to serve as a Guard for two hundred years until you could be promoted to the Foremost of the Guard, on the first floor. 'Up Top,' was the common term for it.  
The Guards hated her instant ranking. Already up the top only because of her power, the same with her apparent Father.  
Luna tried smiling. A layer of the ice around Fletcher's heart melted, but he quickly froze it again, angry at himself for being charmed.  
He managed to make himself appear civil and polite.  
"Hello, I'm Luna," she said, as she offered her hand. Her voice was calming and mesmerising. Fletcher was surprised to hear an Irish brogue.  
He shook her hand. "Fletcher," he said, succeeding in keeping his tone cold and unwelcoming.  
"Shall we go?" He asked, gesturing to the door, no chivalrous hint in the question at all.  
Luna nodded and they walked forward.  
"Miss Cain!" called the voice belonging to Christian. They saw his shadow drift along the wall before he came into view. He carried with him a pale grey cloak, the shade was lighter than Fletcher's.  
Fletcher flicked his hood up and stared at the floor.  
"You might need this," he said as he extended his arm to her.  
"Thank you," Luna beamed as she took the cloak from Christian.  
He gave a small smile in response then walked away.  
Luna wrapped the cloak around her. The material was light and velvet soft. The sleeves ended just before her hands and they were large and billowing. Luna clasped it under her neck and put the hood up as she followed Fletcher outside.  
Fletcher was confused, officially and completely now. The shades of grey of the cloaks also symbolised your ranking. A shade darker was given for each decade of service. The pale grey was the first one, yet Luna was on the floor with the Guards whose cloaks were now deep charcoal. Once you moved to the second floor your cloaks never changed.  
It was cool outside and very quiet. The water fountain trickled calmly, splashing little trails of water into the pond below it. The water rang out over the Courtyard, echoing over the walls that enclosed it. Opposite the Clock Tower was another large building with windows lining all its floor in straight lines.  
It went round the left side as well.  
To the right was a tall Cathedral. The walls looked like it was made of logs. There were no windows on its front but a short set of double doors sat in the bottom centre.  
Wide, long steps went up to the greet the front door.  
The sky was a deep, navy blue. The horizon was lightening for the sun that was coming to break the dawn. The air was quite cool, but the weak breeze was warm.  
Their shoes clicked on the stone of the Courtyard as they crossed, heading towards an arched opening in the right corner.  
The streets were darker beyond it, caused by their narrowness and the height of the buildings and houses above. The streets were all irregular, the width and lengths differing. Little alleys and short cuts were between the buildings, leading to other streets in the complex layout.  
Luna and Fletcher strolled silently through a long, backstreet, houses flanking either side.  
"What do we look for?" Luna asked.  
"We just make sure we have no visitors," Fletcher replied.  
They walked in silence for the next few minutes.  
"I heard you have quite an unusual talent," Fletcher said.  
"Depends on how you perceive it, Sir," Luna answered. "Have you got a power?"  
"Yes."  
"What can you do?"  
"I can manipulate the water element."  
"That sounds interesting."  
They walked into a tunnel, passing into the next street. A faulty pipe had water staining the stone walls and running onto the path. Fletcher swiped his hand and the water froze over, solid.  
Luna watched him, in absolute awe if such a cool power.  
As they walked along, fletcher dragged his finger along the cold wall, a thin layer of ice appearing in a line after it. The ice grew and swirled out in a beautiful pattern before reaching its maximum.  
Fletcher held his hand out in front of him then flipped his palm up. Luna felt little flakes of cold snow nibbling on her skin. She looked up and little flecks floated down silently from the dark ceiling, disappearing as they touched the ground.  
Amazed, Luna walked to the end of the tunnel. Fletcher looked back into it and squeezed his fist. The ground and walls sizzled with heat and the water and ice evaporated into the air.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sir, where do you believe your power originates?" Luna asked, as she and Fletcher walked along a wide back street, behind the large Cathedral.  
"Perhaps my birthplace, Russia. I did come to love the cold conditions. What about your power? Where would Apparition come from?"  
Luna's face furrowed. "I haven't the foggiest. I've never really thought about it, actually."  
The path opened up to the Courtyard in the top left corner.  
"Well, Miss Cain, this has been... fun. I'll see you tomorrow morning," Fletcher said, as they stopped in front of the Clock Tower.  
"Undoubtably, Sir," Luna replied.  
Fletcher forced a smile and tried to make it look as arrogant as possible.  
He had to admit she had been friendly and kind, but his hate was still passionate.  
He walked up the few steps and disappeared through the doors. They closed heavily, with a clonk, behind him.  
Luna hoped she had eased something between them. She sighed as she looked back over the Courtyard. It was seven thirty in the morning. The sky was much lighter, the sun woken and the birds chirping.  
Curious, Luna ambled to the left of the Clock Tower and looked down the long, dim alley. The tall Clock Tower, and the two story homes flanking it, cast it into deep shadows, but at the end she could see a vast stretch of green. So she went.  
The shade from the sun was cool, but Luna felt no human weakness to the temperature. Her boots clicked gently on the stone as she went. Only three windows were on the side of the Clock Tower. Then the wall ended and dipped in a bit before the corridor started. That's when she noticed an arch in the that dip. An arch to get back inside. Victorious with her discovery, she decided to continue along. She could see the green and white of the courtyard through the windows of the corridor.  
The windows ceased and then the roof rose up and up into the stained glass dome.  
Then the alley opened up again. The hill dipped down from here. A small complex of houses just behind it. Luna creeped down the small hill and through the complex and into a large field of vineyards and crops. The field behind the complex was small and vacant. A tall oak tree, hundreds of thick branches all twisting up to the sky, stood in the middle. A short and worn fence bordered the vineyard, organised vines in rows grew right to the edge and stretched out for miles. Beyond the dark green vineyard were more and more fields, all had their individual shade of green.  
It was peaceful here and quiet. Luna let her guard drop and she pulled the hood of her cloak off, but stayed in the protective shade of the tree. The only thing to dared to speak was the wind, pushing the branches and rustling the leaves of the great oak tree. The weak stem of a leaf broke and it twirled and spun as it gently descended to the ground. Luna reached out her hand and it landed perfectly in her palm. She twirled it round in her fingers as she looked to the right. Some houses were coming forward, ending the complex's field and the same to the left.  
Satisfied with her discovery, she turned and quickly ran back up the hill and through the alley. She crept through the arch and found herself in the back corridor. She crept through the closest corridor to the front of the building and turned left, heading towards the stairs.  
Once she closed her door she took off the pale grey cloak and draped it on the edge of her bed. She left the leaf on her bedside table and walked around the chair to the window. She pushed the white, lace curtains aside and undid the latch. The window was stiff to open and needed a lot of encouragement. It lurched open and Luna managed to catch herself before she went out with it. She turned her body as far to the right as she could and found she had half of the view of the fields. The breeze against her face was gentle. The sun appeared from behind a cloud and she felt her face heat up and the glint of the diamonds blind her eyes. She quickly recoiled into the protection of her bedroom. She closed the window and leaned against the sill. Her mind and dead heart completely at peace.


	15. Afternoon Leisure

Chapter Fifteen

Afternoon Leisure

Florence looked up when she heard a gentle rap on her door, then it clicked open and she saw Luna's smiling face peer in.  
Florence's face lit up. She beamed broadly, showing all her adult and baby teeth that could destroy the hardest of rocks.  
She jumped off her bed and skipped to the door as Luna stepped inside and closed it.  
"Signora!" She sang, her perfect curls bouncing and flowing around her. Two giant, ruby bows were clipped to the sides of her head.  
Even though Florence had only met her once, she knew she would love Luna. She appeared to be so nice.  
"Where's Antonio and Victor?" Luna asked.  
"Out with Hazel and Elizabeth," Florence replied uninterestedly, twisting on her feet.  
"Okay. What were you reading?"  
Florence skipped back to her bed and Luna followed her.  
She pulled the book off the bed and closed it, presenting the cover: Gulliver's Travels.  
"Excellent! How are you progressing?"  
Florence flipped the pages to her place. The first page.  
Luna paused and pursed her lips, then nodding her head in feigned encouragement.

"Where do think this piece goes?" Luna asked, picking up a strayed puzzle piece.  
Florence took it from her and examined it. She shook her head and reached for another piece.

"Florence! Look at this," Luna whispered. She crouched on the floor and cradled a bug gently in her hands that she'd found on the floor.  
Florence crouched down next to her.  
"A Caterpillar!" she gasped.  
Luna nodded. "Do you know what they become?"  
Florence shook her head and Luna tipped the long, leggy bug onto Florence's hand.  
"They wrap themselves up in a cocoon, where they rest for a long time, and then they transform into a beautiful butterfly!"  
"Like a human transforms into a beautiful Vampire," Florence added.  
Luna looked at her, confused. "We don't have cocoons, Florence!"  
Florence giggled.

"I cannot but conclude that the Bulk of your Natives, to be the most pe- pern-" Florence read.  
"Pernicious," Luna assisted.  
"Pernicious-" Luna nodded her encouragement. "Race of o- odious-"  
"Good," Luna praised.  
"Vermin that Nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the Earth," Florence continued.  
She sat on Luna's lap, on her bed, and Luna looked over Florence's shoulder at the book on her lap.

The magnifying glass ran over the surface of the painting, making the shoulders and then the chest and then the snout of the grey wolf, gigantic.  
Florence sat on Luna's lap on the floor, the hard floor boards underneath them, but it didn't affect them at all. Luna had one leg bent and then the other straight underneath her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd sat on the floor.  
Florence moved the glass up the wolf's face, its yellow eye filling the round glass.  
"The wolf is our longest enemy," Luna said. "He comes during the night when the moon is full and bright," Luna lifted her arms out as Florence stared intently at the painting. She closed her arms in slowly. "To hunt down the Vampires. And he pounces... And gobbles you whole," Luna clamped her fingers onto Florence's side and playfully snarled.  
Florence jerked and giggled.  
The door behind them opened and the two boys ran in and past them, as if they weren't there.  
Hazel and Elizabeth followed them in. Florence climbed to her feet, Luna followed her and smoothed out the skirt of her charcoal dress.  
"Oh, thank you for minding her, Luna. Don't worry, I'll take care of her from here," Hazel said as she rubbed Luna's shoulder.  
"My pleasure," Luna smiled. She left the room and waved to Florence as she closed the door.  
The sun had moved to the other side of the sky, lighting up the courtyard, symbolising the late afternoon. Her duty with Jane couldn't be too far away.  
Luna headed down the corridor to the back. She turned the corner as Jane did, out of the right corridor heading to the Throne Room.  
"Evening, Miss Jane," Luna greeted.  
"Hello, Luna," Jane replied as she strode confidently towards her.  
They reached the Common Room at the same time.  
"Are you coming?" Jane asked.  
"Please," Luna nodded.  
Luna closed the door after them and caught up to Jane as she walked round the large, dining table, refusing to let her walk in front of her.  
Jane approached the vacant lounge in front of the burning fire and collapsed elegantly onto the left couch.  
Luna gently sat onto the couch opposite her.  
"Has today fared you well?" Luna asked.  
"Yes, thank you," Jane replied. "I spent most of the day in the Throne Room. Your Father is quite a pleasant man. He's becoming a great... _favourite_ of the Brothers'," Jane continued, attempting to keep the bitter jealously from poisoning her words.  
Luna grinned to herself, then the emptiness dawned on her, how much of a ghost Xeno had been to her these past few days.


	16. Phantoms, Vampires and Humans

Chapter Sixteen

Phantoms, Vampires and Humans

The Clock Tower's bell tolled as the clock's rusty hands glided stiffly onto twelve o'clock, midday the next day.  
Luna smiled as she listened to its charming ring as she walked down the right corridor of the first floor. A beautiful sound for a beautiful place.  
The sunlight was bright, everything in the courtyard was blinding. The strong rays obstructed Luna's sight of the greenery in front of her, except for a figure coming down the corridor. He was tall and lanky, he strolled and swayed casually as if he hadn't a responsibility in the world.  
Luna stopped short and let him walk to her. He walked out of the sunlight and Xeno beamed back at Luna.  
No matter how improper it was, Luna and Xeno embraced desperately. He rubbed her back soothingly, but she withdrew to show him she was happy.  
She took his hand and they turned left at the end of the corridor. Xeno grinned but couldn't hide his confusion at where they were going, especially when they exited the building through an arch at the end of the corridor.

Xeno smiled and walked further into the field Luna had brought him to. He exhaled his amazement and the wind carried his parted breath away. His head turned slowly, left and right, as he took in all in.  
He turned back to Luna who stood at the base of the great oak tree.  
"Your becoming a great favourite, apparently," Luna began.  
"Just spreading some joy and humour," Xeno defended airily.  
"What is your position?"  
"That I don't exactly know. I've just been speaking with the Brothers for most of my time. Unlike you I don't have to babysit," Xeno teased.  
Luna tilted her head and gave him a smug, but dark, look. "Guard."  
"Wow! Guarding the Guards!"  
Luna shook her head as she laughed.  
"How about you," he asked, as he stood at her side. "How are you faring?"  
"Everything seems so unreal," she sighed dreamily.  
"I am real," Xeno said, wrapping his arm around his Daughter.  
"No. You are most Phantom like of all," Luna replied as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Xeno grinned back at her and closed the doors of Throne Room, the large pieces of wood swallowing him up and out of sight. Luna stood in the Reception staring after it.  
The rustling of paper brought her attention back to the room, and a strong heartbeat pulsed louder in her ears. She wasn't alarmed though, such temptations were beyond her now, she'd only given in occasionally to annoy her Father.  
But she was curious. She turned her head, right, to the source of the noise.  
A young woman sat behind the desk, scratching at paper with her quill slowly. Her muscles looked tensed and apprehensive.  
Her dark brown hair was curled into little ringlets. They were separated and secured at the side of her head with a soft blue bows.  
Her dress was also blue. The neck was low hanging and the sleeves went down three quarters. The skirt was long and slightly puffed, but not enormous.  
The middle of her chest had gold stitching embodied into a swirling pattern, on top of a light gold background.  
The visible skin was kissed with a Mediterranean tan. Her dark brown eyes looked up at her as Luna approached.  
"Pardon me, Signora," she said in a thick Italian accent, jumping to her feet timidly.  
"Not at all, I'm Luna," Luna replied, offering her hand.  
"Dahlia," she replied. She felt herself easing. "Forgive my jumpiness, Signora. I've only just dived into the depths of such a world filled with secrecy."  
"Oh, that's alright! Vampires aren't known for being cute," Luna chirped.  
Dahlia smiled.  
"What do you do here?" Luna asked.  
"I'm just the Secretary. Quite a grand job. Very few women manage to grasp jobs, such as these."  
Luna nodded in agreement.  
Footsteps clicked off the stone in the left corridor. Dahlia looked past Luna at their company. Luna guessed it someone good for there was hardly a flicker of fear in her eyes.  
The comforting smell of cinnamon and vanilla hit her before she turned around and saw Hazel.  
"Good day, Signora," Dahlia said politely.  
"Thank you, dear. You too," Hazel replied. Her tone sounded cold and her words were hesitant.  
"Luna, would you mind helping me?" She asked.  
Luna nodded.  
"Goodbye," she said to Dahlia and followed Hazel back down the corridor, twisting her ring nervously.  
"The Guards don't really talk to the secretaries," Hazel explained.  
Luna looked to Hazel. "There's more than one?"  
Hazel hesitated. "Not at a time."  
Luna didn't think the Volturi would follow through with such a humane practise as firing.  
"They kill them," Luna said.  
Hazel nodded. "Yes. Some hope to be turned, to join us. But it has never happened. The longest one has been kept has been three whole years, but then some are killed within their first month.  
They make the tiniest of mistakes and the Brothers kill them more for fun."  
"How long has Dahlia been here?" Luna asked.  
"Just about a year. She's been good, but not knowing her will make it easier when she dies. Besides she's just a human."  
Luna allowed herself to drift behind as Hazel sped ahead.

Luna knocked on the door opposite her own. Less than a second later it was opened by Alec.  
"Good evening, Sir," she greeted.  
"Evening, Luna," he replied, stepping aside to make the entry wider.  
His bedroom door was in the bottom left hand corner. Opposite it, a tall, dark wooden Armoire. Along the same wall, a long, but low, set of drawers.  
On the far wall a large double bed protruded from the middle of the wall, tables flanking its sides.  
A bath tub sat in the bottom right corner, the same wall as the door, floorboards surrounding it.  
Sitting at the foot of the bed was a small couch and opposite it, a larger one, nestled in right under the window.  
Immediately Luna could see the personality differences between him and his twin. Though they were both dark and intimidating, Alec had a more calm approach to him.  
Unlike Jane's red interiors, Alec's colour was a deep grey, like the uniforms they wore.  
"Have you been well today, Sir?" Luna asked.  
"Yes, thank you," he replied. Luna heard the door click shut behind her.  
"Please, have a seat," he said as he walked past her.  
Luna sat tensely on the couch under the window, while Alec settled comfortably into the couch opposite her.  
Luna watched her hands as they fiddled with the ring around her finger and Alec watched her, the smirk on his face growing with every second.  
Soon, a chuckle escaped him unwillingly and Luna snapped her head up to look at him.  
"Come, Luna! Talk with me," he sighed, spreading his hands out.  
"Wouldn't you rather me be invisible, Sir?"  
"It would be hard to forget you're here," he replied.  
Luna looked around for a topic.  
"The... Weather was lovely today," she began.  
Her confidence in her topic faltered completely when Alec raised his eyebrows and smirked again. But she kept her composure.  
"You want to talk to me about the weather?" he asked slowly.  
"It's a conversation starter," Luna defended.  
"It's a lousy conversation starter," Alec retorted.  
"Well Sir, we're conversing. Checkmate."  
Alec gave a chuckle of genuine amusement. Although the torturing of worthless humans and the snarky remarks of his Sister's did bring him joy and happiness, this was different.  
"What's your tale of woe?" he asked, changing his position for the change of topic.  
Luna lost her words. "Sir?"  
"Your tale of woe," Alec repeated. "All Vampires have one. What's yours?"  
"I own none," she answered.  
"How so?" he pushed.  
"I lived with my Father, I received the best education I could hope for and even now I'm still with my Father and completely contempt."  
"I noticed you neglected to mention a Mother?"  
"She'd been dead for half of my living years."  
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said flatly. "You were created by your Father?"  
"Yes, Sir."  
"Do you know of his transformation?"  
A heavy wave of piercing cold realisation crashed onto her. Though she couldn't feel it on her skin, she knew it had passed through the thin organ and straight into the core of her heart. She had never thought about her Father's fate.  
She knew she needed to be careful.  
"He disappeared one day, when I was aged nine, he came back five years later and turned me."  
"Where were you, those five years?"  
"I stayed with my Uncle, my Father's brother, when Dad was presumed dead."  
"And this Uncle..."  
_Carefully, Luna_.  
"I believe to now be dead."  
Alec nodded, satisfied with her story.  
Just when Luna thought it was over...  
"You're Irish?" he said, more than asked.  
Luna nodded.  
"Were you Nomadic?"  
"No, Sir. We had a permanent residence."  
"How long did you live there?"  
"Thirty-three years, Sir. I am now forty-seven years old."  
"Hm," he grunted. "I hope we did not destroy any peace you had there?"  
"Not at all, Sir. You have offered us Sanctuary, and when I say us, I do mean Dad and I, you kept us together and nothing could make me happier."  
Alec gave her a small smile as he straightened up.

The Clock Tower tolled at midnight and Luna zipped up the back of a fresh dress, exactly the same as the last. She went over to the the mirror and began to pull out the clips and ties holding her bun together.  
She ran her fingers through the wavy, blonde locks, separating the knots that tied the strands together messily.  
A gentle knock sounded from the door. Curious, Luna zipped across the floor to open it, the wind whooshed and her hair swung around her.  
She opened the door and Xeno stood outside. She beamed and opened the door wider for him.  
He entered and closed it behind him.  
"Forgive my current indecency, Dad," she said quietly, her loose locks falling in front of her face as she looked to the floor.  
"Not at all," he replied. "I need to talk to you about something."  
Luna turned to face him again. "Okay."  
He presented a box. It was the colour of warm wood, the surface polished and gleaming. The shape was long and rectangular. The top of the box had a carved picture, bordered by flowers and vines. The carving in the middle was a Witch on her broomstick, a cute, little cat sitting on wood in front of her protective arms.  
"Oh, I see," Luna said, pointing to the carvings. "That Witch is me and... You're the cute, little cat!"  
"Ha, ha, ha," Xeno laughed sarcastically. "Not quite."  
He opened the box. The top was carpeted with red velvet and the bottom in black. There were two long dents in the bottom, one was occupied.  
Xeno's wand sat in the back place. Like Luna's it had the warm colour of wood, but the wood of the handle was twisted and gradually got thicker until it stopped. Luna always had thought it was a cool design, but the handle could grow uncomfortable after a while.  
"I'll keep it safe," was all he said.  
Luna nodded. Her eyes went to the ground as she turned to the looming Armoire. She opened the door and bent down to the bag in the bottom, pushing the hems of her dresses out of the way.  
A frantic fluttering of wings sounded and Blue shot out of the shelf of the closet and landed on the table on the other side of the room. His talons clicked against the wood as he turned around, inspecting his surroundings. Then he faced the mirror and jumped before he started flapping, resulting into him flipping off the table. A gentle thud, cushioned by carpet, followed.  
Luna dug into the bottom of the bag and pulled out her wand.  
She took it back to Xeno and placed each hand at each end, supporting it with delicate fingers. She pushed the wand into its place and it snuggled in perfectly.  
Xeno closed the lid over, a shadow passed over her wand before it was concealed from her sight.  
Xeno placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"When you want, but no longer need it, it must go. But when you need it and no longer want it, it will come."  
Luna nodded and Xeno backed away with the box and left. Luna stood, fascinated with the grooves in the floor, as she thought.


	17. Lack of Control

Chapter Seventeen

Lack of Control

"The growth of Immortal Children spread through Europe, away from China and towards Russia, then through England and France," Luna said, as her hand drifted over the wooden globe.  
Florence watched on, barely interested.  
The globe was huge and ancient, yet so beautiful. It was a wooden structure, the actual world a light brown with detailed pictures and labels covering it. The beam that supported it was a deep wood colour and it made a soothing rolling noise when the globe was turned in it.  
Elizabeth and Hazel had managed to settle the young boys into puzzles with great difficulty and patience. They hadn't fed in a while and were becoming restless.  
A knock came on the door of the children's room and Felix entered.  
"The Guard has been summoned," he announced.  
"Thank you, Felix," Hazel said, standing up and smoothing her skirt.  
He nodded and ducked back out.  
"I'll stay with them," Luna offered.  
"Nonsense, dear! You need to go to your first feeding! I'll stay behind," Hazel commanded. "Beth will go with you."  
Luna looked to Elizabeth. "Come," Elizabeth said.  
Luna stroked Florence's hair as she passed and Florence grinned after her.

The day was bright once again, the halls warm and fully lighted. Luna could see other Guards walking down the other corridor.  
The walls closed into darkness, only torches lighting the walls, as they entered the Reception.  
Dahlia was standing, head down in respect, as the Vampires passed her.  
Hoping she could see, Luna smiled to her and thought she saw a flicker of acknowledgment on her down-facing features.  
The Throne Room doors stood open, but uninviting. Luna and Elizabeth passed through the threshold and into the brighter room, the light provided in different shades from the stain glass window above.  
Aro, Marcus and Caius sat on their Thrones, Luna's Father standing to the right of Caius, watching the Guards file in one by one.  
Luna smiled up to him as she took her assumed place.  
The table to the right was packed up, the candles snuffed, the books away and the table pushed against the wall, a magnificent statue looming above it.  
Renata stood behind the Thrones. Alec and Jane entered, more Guards following them.  
Alec and Jane walked to the right side and stood next to Luna, nodding their silent greetings.  
Soon all the Guards had arrived and formed a circle around the walls of the room.  
Felix and Demitri stood on their own side of the doors and Luna soon heard the pattering of footsteps coming down the corridor, accompanied by the buzz of conversation and... Beating hearts pulsing blood around thirty bodies.  
"This way, please," sang a beautiful voice. Although it was high and soft, it still had the maturity and elegance of a woman.  
The footsteps and whispers grew louder, then became clear as the group passed through the open doors and into the room of edacious Vampires.  
Some whispers died, while more were created. The group of humans, ranging from elderly to childhood, male to female and in nationalities, looked about suspiciously, their nervousness only beginning to ignite. Their clothing colour tones were all browns, reds and greys. All wore them in similar styles. Long skirts, vests and shawls draped over them.  
Aro had risen and stood on the steps, looking over the group. A Vampire Luna recognised walked forward from the group and stood at the foot of the steps, next to Aro. A brilliant, genuine smile was plastered on her beautiful face. Her lips were full, shaped and the vibrant colour of red, bordering gleaming, white teeth.  
Her eyes were blood red, covered by thick, black lashes and grey, shadowed eyes.  
Her wooden brown hair was swept up into a waving bun.  
Her dress was red and much more elegant than the Guards. There was no collar, the neck line ending around her collarbones and the sleeves were three quarters, very much like Dahlia.  
"Welcome to Volterra," Aro greeted. And with those words, Felix and Demitri closed the heavy wooden doors. Their clashing echoing through the room, trapping the Humans inside. All talking and movements ceased, making the heartbeats the most dominant sound.  
Marcus and Caius rose from their Thrones and Luna noticed two fragile looking women hovering behind the Thrones. One had pale blonde hair and her features had a stern and independent vibe.  
The other woman's features were softer and passive, her hair was a simple brown.  
Aro stalked to the middle of the floor, his expression changing to reveal the animalistic predator he really was. He singled out one young woman clinging to her partner for life.  
Aro looked at her creepily as he slowly reached out and pried her away from her partner. She whimpered and he tried to contain his sobs of nervousness. The girl was no match for Aro's iron grip. He pulled her head to one side and bit hard into her neck. Her scream pierced through the silence and the Humans scattered, giving their own panicked shrieks.  
The Guard moved in, taking down any Humans to come near them.  
Luna moved in, following Alec, Jane and Elizabeth. The partner of Aro's young victim came towards her. His body was tall and muscular. His eyes blazed with anger but fear burned there too. He judged Luna as an easy target, her garb concealing the muscles that really moved underneath her skin.  
He struck out his fist and Luna caught it easily. His knuckles crunched on the impact and all he had time for was a gasp. Luna reached her leg behind his and pushed. Gravity pulled him down and his back thudded onto the ground. He gasped in pain and felt the slight weight of the pretty girl lean onto his body.  
Her face expressionless, her heart unfeeling, she crouched down onto her knees. The man tried to push her away, Luna swiped his feeble attempts.  
She pinned down his restless right arm but needed her other to push his struggling head to face the left. His neck exposed, she could see his thudding pulse beneath the skin, feel his heat, his fear and the venom pooling into her mouth.  
His legs kicked stiffly under her, his free arm grabbed a firm hold on her waist in a last attempt to keep her away, but it did nothing. Luna leant down and bit down hard into his neck. The skin parted immediately, the hot blood flowed over her tongue and down her throat. His screams were muffled, and soon became groans and whimpers as his energy faded. The strong hand on her waist slackened and slowly drooped back the floor.  
As the blood filled her cold, hard body, making her feel full and warm inside, the tension left his body, the muscles relaxing and slacking.  
The screams in the room became less and less as victims died and more were attacked.  
Alec watched her from afar, his own victim dead at his knees. How vicious she was, yet he admired her neatness and skill.  
He stood and walked to the centre of the room. All the Vampires were still occupied, movement blurring all around him. One frantic, middle aged man quivered on the floor, all his limbs and features shaking.  
He wrapped himself up, his chest heaving with sobs. His back was facing the approaching Alec and didn't see his death coming. Alec grabbed hold of the back of his collar and yanked him backwards. The man's eyes widened in shock as he gaged. He tried to grab hold of something, but Alec continued to drag him.  
Luna let a low growl of annoyance escape when she realised her victim was dead and released her grip on his arm and head.  
Alec bit hard into the man's neck and he shrieked in pain. He released his bite and the man tossed and whimpered as the venom burned through the blood stream.  
"Do you wish to share?" Alec called to Luna.  
Luna beamed. "Thank you, Sir" she said, as she crawled over to them. Alec bit back into the man's neck and Luna ripped the man's sleeve, exposing his wrist. She bit down into it, heard the tearing of flesh and the wet spilling of blood leaking into her mouth.  
Respecting Alec's generosity, she sipped slowly and daintily. Until he was near death.  
Luna could feel the quantity thinning and released her bite. She felt satisfied, could feel the heat of the blood warming her, making her tingle with energy and power.  
Luna watched Alec take the last gulps of blood the Human had to offer, watched his Adam's Apple bulge in his neck as he gulped down the blood...  
Luna turned her attention away to the black ring on her right pointing finger.  
It felt like fresh snow on her finger. She could feel the cold energy buzzing within it, growing stronger with every departed soul looming in the room.  
She gazed into her ring, unable to see the power, but not denying its existence. Alec finished the last pint and only a trickle could be salvaged from his empty vessels.  
Alec retracted his sharp teeth, the shade still white and perfect. He looked to Luna and Luna looked up to him, their eyes exactly the same colour, the bright colour of fresh blood.

"I've saved six humans for Hazel and the children," Heidi informed Elizabeth kindly.  
"Thank you," Elizabeth answered as Luna walked up to join her.  
The Guards were dragging their victim's bodies to the right side of the room, the scraping of limbs and the dropping of weight sounding all over the room. The room was starting to clear as the Guards filed out, one by one.  
"Heidi, this is Luna Cain," Elizabeth introduced, noting her arrival.  
The sound of her name snapped Luna's attention to the pair. She smiled politely and walked forward with an outstretched hand.  
"Pleasure," Luna greeted and Heidi shook back with a smile.  
"Have they been reserved in the pens?" Elizabeth asked.  
"Yes," Heidi answered helpfully, placing her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. Elizabeth wasn't much taller than Luna and Heidi was a good few inches taller than her. "In the first cage."  
"Thank you," Elizabeth said before departing. Luna grinned a goodbye smile and followed her out of the room.  
"Heidi's lovely," Luna remarked as she walked with Elizabeth down the corridor.  
"She is, but that's probably her power affecting you there," Elizabeth replied.  
"What's her power?" Luna asked.  
"Physical Attraction. That's also her job. She attracts the Humans for our feeding, and traps them for the pens. Have you been there yet?"  
"No," Luna answered as they walked back into the ground floor of the Clock Tower.  
Elizabeth walked purposefully down the corridor to their left and stopped at a door under the staircase. She opened it to reveal a small closet filled with cloaks, ranging in shades of pale greys.  
A rack lined one wall and only half on the opposite, for it shared a small, narrow staircase. The stairs were dark, too squished against the wall to have a flaming torch hanging off.  
The room felt damp, the moisture contained in the stone walls. Five cages were in the small room underneath. Three lined the back wall and two were opposite, a narrow isle squeezed in between them.  
Torches lined the vacant spaces of wall, giving the room an orange glow.  
The flames danced light onto the pale and sickly faces of Humans kept in captivity for a long time. Two or three in each cage.  
Six, healthy women quivered in the first cage, hugging and comforting each other. Half were young and the others were middle aged.  
Elizabeth took the key of the wall and unlocked the cage. She plucked two women by the collars and pushed them towards Luna. Luna grasped them and stood, unaffected, by their batters and blows and waited for further instruction.  
"Take them to the children, please," Elizabeth instructed.  
Luna nodded and hurled the struggling women up the steps after her. One slipped on the steps but Luna dragged her along anyway. She left the closet and walked down the rest of the corridor. She turned right and past the middle corridor, heading to far one. She reached it and turned right again, the women's useless attempts failing to slow her arrival.  
Luna released one of the women to open the door, but before the woman could take a step to flee, Luna's fist gripped her clothing again and pulled her back into the room.  
Hazel put a restraining hand on both of the boys shoulders, as they watched the Humans hungrily.  
Luna released her grips and flicked her wrists as she did, sending them tumbling forward onto their knees.  
Luna turned out of the room and closed the door, heading back to the pens. The women scrambled to their feet and ran for the door, but it opened again and Elizabeth pushed two more women in and closed it behind her.  
Luna took the key from the wall and opened the cell again.  
"Out you come," she commanded.  
The last two women looked down and gradually shuffled timidly out of the cage.  
Luna locked the cage on the remaining human, her skin pale and sickly. She hooked the key back on the wall and the two women felt defeated. They had given in and knew they had no chance of winning an impossible fight. Luna walked in between them to the stairs, gripping their arms as she passed and pulled them up.  
Luna opened the door and shoved the last women in. They collapsed from the force and Luna closed the door, before joining Elizabeth to the side.  
The women scampered to the feet and huddled together, unsure of the angelic children before them.  
Hazel's arms quivered as she struggled to keep her grip on the animalistic boys, snarling and twisting out of her grip.  
Florence stood still, but her hunger was evident.  
"Control yourselves, see how long you can last," Hazel couched.  
Victor and Antonio snarled and breathed the Humans' scents in sharply.  
"They're doing well so far," Elizabeth muttered.  
Victor gave one last tug and broke free from Hazel. She flung out her arm to stop him but gave in, seeing no point. Antonio tore away from her too.  
The women shrieked as they came at them at alarming speed. Victor crashed into one woman and took her straight to the floor, sliding slightly.  
He bit down into her arm and she screamed, flinging her free arm around and whacking the boy's back.  
Antonio bit into a woman's leg, giving his size. She shrieked and fell to the floor.  
Florence chased a woman to the back wall of the room. The woman quivered as Florence came closer and looked at her with dreamy, red eyes. She pried the woman's arm away from her body, her resistance no match for the child's strength. Then Florence bit down deeply, the Woman flung her head back and screamed with agony.  
"You may as well go," Elizabeth said to Hazel.  
Hazel nodded hesitantly and glided towards a woman fumbling nervously with the lock on the door.  
"How long have these children been Immortal?" Luna asked, moving closer to Elizabeth to be heard properly over the screaming.  
"About thirty years before you came they were created. All were found in the wrong place at the wrong time," Elizabeth answered, blanking watching the massacre before her.  
"It's hard to imagine their Newborn stages if this is now," Luna commented.  
"Believe it or not," Elizabeth sighed, "this is a big improvement."  
Antonio and Victor battled each other over a whimpering Human, Florence and Hazel shared the last victim civilly.  
"And Luna," Elizabeth called again. Luna looked back to her, "Call me Beth."

Felix slung one limp and light corpse over his shoulder and carried another carelessly in his free arm. He walked behind Luna and Elizabeth as they headed to the Throne Room.  
Beth, in front, carried a slaughtered woman in each of her arms, their bare feet whispering as they dragged against the cold stone.  
Luna carried both of her women, in her arms, effortlessly. Nothing dragged across the ground.  
Felix noticed this. Curiously and carefully, he examined the muscles and tensity in her and realised this girl was stronger than would be estimated.  
The Throne Room doors were left wide open and Beth walked straight in, followed by Luna and Felix.  
The victims of the Guard had been arranged purposefully over the circular drain in the middle of the floor.  
Elizabeth dumped her bodies onto the pile and Luna copied while Felix straightened them up.  
Demitri walked to the wall and took a flaming torch from its holder then took it back to the pile. He leant down and poked the flame in, then the clothing caught and the flames ripped across the pile, the noise roaring in their ears as flesh and bone burnt.  
The bodies blackened and the smoke rose up and up to the ceiling. Luna watched the pile blankly, the orange reflection of flames dancing on the moist surfaces of her red eyes.  
"How did they go?" came the soft voice of Aro from the steps.  
"They didn't last terribly long, Master," Elizabeth answered as she bowed her head respectfully.  
Aro nodded and stared into the flames as they grew bigger and higher and lighted the room magnificently.

Luna ran the tap of her bath. The thin stream of water fell and trickled down the perfect, smooth walls of the tub. Luna reached her stained hands underneath the gentle flow and blood ran down the drain along with the water.  
The sun was getting darker, casting the room into a weak, pale light through the lace curtains. Almost time to accompany Jane. Luna turned off the tap and shook her clean hands dry.


	18. Keenest Pleasures

Chapter Eighteen

Keenest Pleasures

The morning was warm and pleasant, yet snow flakes drifted down from no where and onto Luna's head. Fletcher chuckled as she swatted them away.  
They strolled casually through the city, only moments before its waking. Fletcher dragged his finger across the wall as he went and a line of ice spread onto it, spreading and swirling into that beautiful pattern.  
Fletcher seemed to be a bit lighter over the last few days. He had to admit, she was growing on him a lot and he couldn't save his changing opinions.  
They headed back into the courtyard, the sun only fresh in the sky, shining weakly through the thin, morning fog. The sky was pale blue but the clouds barely left a space uncovered. Good day for Vampires.  
Fletcher held out his right hand and arched his fingers into a claw. Gently he tilted it up and a large blob of water rose from the fountain. He brought it forwards, than over his head, twisting on his feet to face Luna as she came up behind him. The blob glinted brightly as it passed in front of sun.  
Giving a mischievous glance in her direction, Fletcher flicked his wrist sharply, loosing control of the blob and sending it hurtling towards her.  
Luna turned to face him and the blob went straight through her chest and splashed onto the pavement on the other side.  
"Damn it," he sighed.  
"Nice try," Luna complimented sarcastically.  
They laughed quietly as they raced up the stairs to the doors.

Hazel didn't want Luna with the children today, so instead she stood in her bedroom, unsure of what to do.  
She left the door of the Armoire ajar and Blue fluttered out, quickly switching his direction away from the mirror.  
Luna walked aimlessly around her plain room and stopped at the low cabinet of drawers. She opened the draw that contained her art equipment.  
She took her board, a piece of parchment and a grey pencil and headed over to the chair before the window. She slouched in it, most improperly. Her back leaning against one of the arms and her legs slung over the edge of the other, drifting above the ground and swaying soothingly.  
Blue hopped around her plush bed, occasionally tripping over the unevenness. He discovered the pillow and settled into it, gently closing his large, black eyes.  
Luna smiled and brought her sharp tipped pencil to the page. She drew his outline first, then his dominant limbs and features, then the detail in his wings, adding the borders of the colours. The lines of the shading were bordered and she coloured them in, according to their shade.  
She shaded in his colours and added boldness to his closed eyes.  
Then there came a knock on the door. Luna quickly sat upright then stood. She dropped her the board and pencil onto the bed as she blurred over to the door. She looked back at Blue and he soared soundlessly back into the Armoire.  
She opened the door to reveal Alec leaning against the frame.  
"Sir, I..." she began, leaning back to look at the clock on the wall. It was only one minute till six.  
"You've done no wrong!" Alec said. "I thought I'd come to you this time. It doesn't really matter where we are, as long as I'm being _supervised_ between six and nine."  
Luna nodded uncertainly and stepped back to make the entrance wider.  
He strolled in and Luna closed the door.  
Alec looked around. "This room has always been unoccupied. It's good to have neighbours now."  
He paused at the bed and slowly picked up the picture.  
Luna looked at the ground bashfully. She walked to the bed and picked up the board and the pencil.  
"This is incredible," he muttered. Composing himself, he said, "Is this yours?"  
"Yes, Sir," Luna answered, sitting back into the chair, properly this time.  
"Where did you get your copy?"  
Luna looked past him, to the dent in the pillow, which he hadn't noticed.  
"From my head, Sir."  
"That head I now see on your shoulders?"  
Luna nodded slowly.  
Alec handed the picture back to her.  
"How long have you been drawing?" he asked.  
"A past time I took up to pass the time of eternity. To draw is one of the keenest pleasures I have ever known."  
She stood and put her art equipment in the draw.  
"Is there somewhere you'd like to go, Sir?"  
"Not particularly," he sighed, his eyes in thought.  
"Come walk with me then," she said as she left the room.  
Alec smiled to himself and snuffed the candle in the lamp on her bedside table, then followed her out. He shut the door and the handle clicked after him.  
Blue fluttered out of the closet and sat on the windowsill, the lace curtains billowing around him.

Few Guards walked the halls at night. Laughter and conversation could be heard from the Common Room and private rooms of the Guards.' Luna and Alec strolled aimlessly along the corridors. The night time was dark, all shapes black where flame light wasn't provided.  
They stopped at the entrance of the courtyard, looking over the dark shapes of bush and shrubbery. A crescent moon hung in the navy blue sky, grey wisps of cloud drifting over it. A very pleasant and beautiful night.  
Alec leaned casually against the frame and Luna stood still, twisting her ring, staring up at the sky and felt her consciousness drifting away with the clouds.  
"Do you like it here, Luna?" he asked, watching her.  
"It has been manageable so far, Sir," she answered. "Do you?"  
He chuckled at her question.  
"Of course. I feel as if I'm on top of the world. I have no worries, an easy life that is contempt. Eternity is undoubtably boring, and lonely, but I have Jane. And you've been good company."  
Luna smiled as she nodded. "For siblings, your civility is astounding."  
Alec laughed before becoming serious once again.  
"Not many of the Guard like us, Luna..."  
"I find you and Jane most pleasant, Sir," she reassured.  
"If the Guard were to scorn and shun us, would you go with them?"  
"What an odd question," she remarked, turning to face him, her red eyes searching his. "Under what circumstances could that possibly happen? But no, Sir. I don't think I would."  
A gust of wind blew, shaking and rustling the garden. A weakening torch nearby blew out.  
"I'll go and find some matches. Also, you have to come, just to let you know," Luna said.  
Alec smirked. "Yes, ma'am."  
They turned down the right corridor towards the Reception, their shoes clicking gently along the ground as they went.


	19. Tiny Rose Bud

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to LOS2005 for following and lucylovesbooks for favouriting. The support from the Readers is my main inspiration.**

Chapter Nineteen

Tiny Rose Bud

Florence listened to the wet snipping of flower stems as Luna sliced through them with a thin pair of secateurs. Luna worked at the table at Florence's bedside while Florence had her back to Luna, bent over the desk.  
Luna scooped the white roses up and placed them neatly in the crystal vase and straightened it on the centre of her table.  
Florence looked over her shoulder to her, "Grazie Signora!"  
Luna beamed at her as she walked down the isle to the desk, flower stems and secateurs in her hand.  
Florence wore a deep, emerald green dress with tiny fingerless gloves. The sleeves were short and puffy, the neck line low and square and a pattern of tiny, black flowers decorated it. Her hair was elegantly curled and flowing down her back and charcoal bows were attached to the sides of her head.  
Luna placed her free hand on Florence's back and looked at her drawing.  
"I can't draw, Signora," Florence sighed.  
"Nonsense," Luna said. "When it comes to art, there is no such thing as not being able to do it. Everybody has there own unique style and abilities... and I see stick figures are yours."  
Florence giggled meekly.  
"Try drawing this," Luna suggested, pulling a tiny rose bud out of her green waste. She placed it on the desk in front of her.  
Florence nodded uncertainly before setting to work.  
Hazel opened the door and stopped. She watched Luna stroll up the isle towards her. The girl wasn't completely smooth, Hazel noticed the bounce in the steps she took.  
"Luna! You're here again!" Hazel sighed warmly. She walked forward to meet her. "Oh, you did the flowers for me? Thank you dear."  
"I've just got her drawing," Luna explained as she stopped next to her. "Would you mind watching her as I take these away?" Luna lifted her hand up.  
"Of course, dear, Hazel replied.  
Luna smiled and walked towards the door.  
"Luna!" Hazel whispered.  
Luna turned back to her.  
"Don't worry about coming back, dear," she fumbled.  
"Okay," Luna said uncertainly. "She really is no trouble, though."  
"I know, you're a big help but I just want you to keep her... At a distance. That's all."  
Luna looked at her confused.  
"Please, just don't become too attached," Hazel said gently, sadness tainting her tone.  
Luna looked at her feet, then smiled weakly at Hazel before giving her a little nod.  
She turned and headed back out the door, Hazel watching after her in low spirit.  
The door clicked shut and Hazel turned her head to watch the little girl drawing at the desk on the other side of the room.


	20. Power

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to Inkheart23 for following and favouriting. It makes me so happy to have Readers' support. I know I haven't asked this before, but I've noticed a big drop in Readers, so, if there is something you feel that I'm lacking, or if I make mistakes, please let me know what you think by either PM or Reviewing. I love to hear from you! **  
**I am so sorry about how long this has taken to update. I am disgusted with my lack of reliability and you guys deserve much more than this. I promise a week will be the maximum wait. **  
**Thank you so much for reading!**

Chapter Twenty

Power

T'was overcast at nine o'clock the next day. Thick, bulky clouds covered the sky and sun, though they didn't threaten with rain.  
Boots and heels of the Guards' shoes clicked on the stone floors as they all headed towards the one place.  
From the Throne Room, the Common Room and their own quarters, they came to the Training Room.  
Luna walked nervously down the centre of the courtyard, the large doors becoming larger with each advance. Her anxiety was caused by the fact that was apparent, she was sure a fair few of the Guards would love the opportunity to beat her up.  
She twisted her ring nervously as she went, other Guards coming down behind her and from the sides.  
As Luna approached the Training Room, the crunching of impact became louder. Luna followed two Guards into the dim room.  
It was filling quickly, most stuck to their own groups around the outside of the room. Christian and Richard spoke to Felix and a hovering Santiago on the far wall and a pair fought each other in the centre. Their bodies blurred as they gilded across the floor, moving out of their chokes and holds, strikes and punches.  
Luna felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and she walked forward with her acquaintance. She recognised the scent of Xeno, also the height was familiar and she could see his white hair out of the corner of her eye.  
Alec and Jane were the last to enter the room. Alec closed the door behind him and the pillar of light on the floor was swiped away.  
The Guard fell silent as Christian walked deeper into the centre.  
"Okay, everyone!" he began.  
The brawling pair were at their end. One was brought to their knees, his opponent's arm locked around his neck, his other arm raised, ready to strike. Then he collapsed to floor. He squirmed and jerked and gave agonised shrieks, his breathing quick and sharp.  
His muscles soon relaxed and he sunk to the floor, releasing a deep, peaceful sigh.  
"Thank you, Jane," Christian called.  
Luna looked to a pleased Jane, a pretty smile of joy on her face. What did she have to do with the man's sudden hysterics?  
The men in the centre stood and joined the rest of the Guard.  
"Alright! Find a different partner than last time. You know the drill," Christian instructed.  
The Guard shuffled into their pairs and found their own spaces in the vast room.  
"Cain!" Christian called.  
Both Xeno and Luna looked to him in creepy synchronisation. Christian beckoned them over.  
As they walked forward, Luna turned her head and caught a glimpse of Hazel, sizing up her muscular, male opponent.  
'_I'm glad I'm not Hazel,_' Luna thought to herself.  
"Xeno and Luna, these are our most strongest and experienced fighters, Xeno shall train with Santiago and Luna with Felix," Christian said.  
Luna looked up to the Throne Room giant.  
_'I take it back. I'll be Hazel any day_!'  
"I'll leave you to it," Christian nodded, strolling away.  
Luna and Xeno exchanged nervous looks before they followed their Trainers away. Felix lead Luna to the back of the room.  
Luna kept looking to the floor, worried that Felix's footsteps would leave cracks in the stone. He was so muscular and too tall.  
They came to a stop and Luna kept her posture as straight and tall as possible, a feeble attempt compared to the giant who stood definitely over a foot taller than her.  
He stood with his arms crossed, the muscles bulging. The fancy attire he wore looked ridiculous on his broad build.  
"What do you know about combat?" he asked.  
"Not a whole lot. Dad did teach me blocking and how to get away," she answered, as confidently as she could.  
"Well, in the Guard, who don't flee, we fight back until they're dead," he replied, the passion for his job tainting his vicious words.  
Luna nodded quickly.  
"Alright. Let's start with blocking," he said, his arms lowering back down.  
His face changed with his stance. He teeth bared viciously as he flung a fist out at her. Luna lifted her arm and they crunched together. She shook with effort and ducked to the side and out of the way.  
She turned back as he did and he struck again, she caught it and noticed his other fist flying her way. She snapped her right arm out to meet it. Felix was incredibly strong, his pressure applying in small amounts, resulting in her arms quivering with effort.  
She ducked under his arms and out the side.  
"You keep retreating, you need to fight back," he commented.  
Felix could see the potential for a powerful fighter in her.  
Luna nodded, even though she didn't understand.  
Felix raised a bulging arm again, Luna caught it then tried to strike back herself. He saw it immediately and grabbed her wrist. He twisted her round, her back to him, and wrapped his arm around her neck. Luna relaxed in his grip then her world wobbled as she passed through him.  
Her focus snapped back to reality and she was looking at Felix's back. He stumbled forward from the loss of pressure and spun round just as Luna went to strike him from behind. He caught her wrist and flung his other arm out, a grin spreading on his face now that he was facing real competition.  
He swung and she caught. He caught when she swung. Felix tried a cheeky swing at her head and she ducked promptly, his arm blurring overhead.  
Luna lost her focus on everything in the room, her concentration devoted to not getting her head taken off by Felix.  
A whistled screeched through the crowd and all battles immediately ceased.  
Felix retracted his arms and slowly straightened up, like everyone in the room, slowly making the transition from animal to man.  
"Okay," Christian called, lowering his fingers from his lips. "Group battle. Once you're on the ground, consider yourself dead and out!"  
"Urgh, this is pointless," Felix snarled quietly.  
The Guard shuffled into the middle of the floor.  
"Are powers allowed?" Luna whispered to Felix as they walked in deeper.  
"Yes," he answered. "That's why we have the same winners _every_ time!"  
Luna looked away, confused.  
The Guard glided around the floor. They looked prepared and completely unemotional. Could this be boredom? Mixed with annoyance?  
The grouping in the middle was completely unordered. The Guard were facing every direction, standing in every space irregularly. Luna thought if it were a true battle, it wouldn't be in perfect formation anyway.  
Everyone was quiet and still as they moved into their final positions. Luna looked at the muscular men in front of her, then caught a glimpse of white hair to her right.  
"Go!" Christian shouted.  
All the Vampires lurched forward to meet whoever was in front of them.  
A man came at Luna with a balled fist raised. She charged back at him and ducked under his arm. The man behind him tried to grab her but she managed to twist and slide out of the attempts. The man behind _him_ struck out at her. Their arms collided but he quickly moved behind her and locked his arm around her neck. Luna concentrated on calling on Apparition but the weight behind her was suddenly gone, the arm ripped from her neck. Luna turned around confused and saw Felix flip her attacker over his shoulder. He grinned at her and the man fell to the floor. Slowly he got up and sneaked to the side lines, recognising his defeat.  
Luna dodged separate fights as she snuck deeper into the battle.  
She flinched back when Beatrice suddenly appeared in front of her. She swatted out her arm and Luna caught it securely with both her hands. She twisted it back and Beatrice jerked back with it. Luna looked into her eyes, pure surprise tinged with fear was there. Surprise and fear for this girl's strength. Luna stuck a foot behind her legs and pushed, releasing Beatrice's arm. She flailed as she went down and landed neatly on her bottom. She glared up at Luna and pushed herself up. Now pure anger burned in her red irises and she scrutinised her pettily as she walked slowly out of the battle.  
She looked around at all the fighting pairs, seeing no one available.  
A thick tentacle of black fog snaked around the crowd and Luna stared at it. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A man emerged from the crowd behind her and charged. Luna heard the approaching footsteps and teared her eyes away from the black mist. She bent forward and grabbed one of the man's arms, flipping him over her and onto the floor. The Guards in the centre were becoming fewer and fewer. Shrieks, that only a lasted second, sounded from behind her and people started dropping to the floor. That's when she caught sight of the black tentacle again, but there was more than one. Soon there were only five Guards left.  
Luna watched the tentacles and followed them through the air, their source seemed to be behind her. She heard it before she saw it. A large billowing sound of air sounded from behind her and she felt it get closer. The tentacles in the air became thicker and then more sprouted and surrounded the remaining Guard. Luna looked up and saw the black tentacles start to turn towards her, they wrapped around her and Luna tried to move out. She went through them as if they were air, but it was cold air. They raised higher and higher around her and they covered and billowed around her face and then...

Sound slowly returned to her, coming back as if someone was slowly turning up her hearing. Then her sight grew brighter and clearer as she opened her eyes. It was hard and cold underneath her, she looked down and realised she was on the floor, sprawled as if she had just dropped.  
She once again became conscious of the smell of the room. The musty smell of the damp stones and metallic hint of metal. Then she became in touch with her brain.  
_What in Merlin's name just happened!?_  
Christian spoke, but his words only echoed around the walls of Luna's head.  
"Once again, Brother and Sister!" Christian announced flatly.  
Clapping, caused by one pair of hands, echoed around the room. Luna looked in its direction and a big, billowing cloud of black mist still remained, but it was clearing, slowly being sucked away.  
The clapper walked through it, and it was Aro, flanked by Marcus and Caius.  
Hands gripped Luna's arms and she felt herself being pulled up. She found the muscles in her legs and helped by pushing herself up.  
The arms stayed secured around her elbows and she turned her head to look right into Alec's face.  
"Please don't tell me I _fainted_!" She begged, shaking her head.  
He laughed and let her go, Luna took a couple steps away.  
"Xeno and Luna Cain, Demitri, Felix, Alec and Jane please stay," Christian ordered, turning around the room as he listed them.  
"The rest of the Guard are dismissed."  
The Guard filed out of the room, by themselves or in groups.  
Aro, Marcus and Caius walked further into the centre, Christian walking forward to meet them, Richard hovering behind him.  
Felix and Demitri stood with Xeno to the side and Alec, Jane and Luna faced them.  
"You wanted to test their powers again, Master?" Christian asked.  
"Yes-" Aro began.  
"More Luna's power. It seems to be a little... Undeveloped," Caius drawled, tilting his head at Luna.  
She kept her head straight but sent her eyes to the floor and Aro gave a questioning look to Caius.  
"All right, Luna," Christian said, beckoning her.  
Luna walked to the middle of the gathering. Xeno watched her warily, his fist supporting his chin.  
Alec and Jane watched her go, small, arrogant smiles on their faces.  
"Okay, Demitri. Try striking her," Christian called.  
Demitri walked forward promptly and Luna relaxed. He swung his fist and it blurred straight through her body. She felt herself grow damp and heavy, felt her chest wobbling as the solid object passed through it.  
Aro laughed and clapped his hands together.  
"Can she spread it yet?" Aro asked, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.  
"No, Sir," Luna answered instead.  
Caius smirked and lifted his head proudly.  
"Well, generally all powers start with the hands! Alec, my boy, if you'd please," Aro chirped.  
Both smiles of the twins' had disappeared. Jane looked to her Brother but he sauntered out anyway.  
Alec stopped in front of Luna, attempting to look down on her as much as possible and failing.  
Luna offered her hand and he slid his in, not removing his eyes from hers.  
Christian took a step closer so he could talk to Luna.  
"All right do what you normally do."  
Felix and Demitri moved in, covering both sides.  
Luna relaxed and stared at their joined hands. She felt her grip on Alec's hand loosen. He noticed it too and tried to take it again. The Apparition wasn't affecting him. He moved his fingers through her hand, purely amazed.  
"Imagine it," Chrisitian suggested. "What it looks like, and will it to go beyond you."  
Demitri moved his hand through her, checking if she was still solid.  
_'I want it to go to Alec. Go to him._'  
She closed her eyes and tried to picture it. Blue, making them turn blue and watery, as if they were water.  
'_Yes, there it is! No_!'  
She felt Alec's hand harden, become a part of her, then it was gone again.  
Luna snapped her eyes open and gave up, turning herself off as well.  
Alec tried to meet her eyes, but they were still fixed on their hands.  
"Felix, this time... Try striking Alec's head," Christian suggested.  
Alec's eyes bulged.  
Luna inhaled and gripped his hand harder.  
"Ouch!"  
She loosened it again.  
Closing her eyes she tried to relax, tried not to think about the fact that Alec was about to have his head knocked off. She called on her Apparition, gently eased into it, concentrating on the hardness of his hand. But slowly it started to fade.  
She tried gripping it harder and shutting her eyes tighter. She clenched her jaw in desperation. She felt the air moving around her and then she could feel Alec's hand again. It wasn't hard but it was still touchable and she held on to that feeling.  
Alec gasped and Luna let her eyes open slowly. Felix was gliding his hand through him. His lips were pursed as he _pushed_ his hand through.  
Alec's face was contorted in nausea.  
"He's very thick," Felix commented, looking to Christian.  
Jane watched her Brother frantically.  
"Stop," she whispered. "Please stop!" She said loudly.  
"Felix, Demitri," Aro called.  
The two men retracted their arms and stepped back. Luna relaxed and let his hand go.  
Jane stared warily, her eyes darting from Aro to Luna, as she held onto her Brother's arm.  
"Progress," Caius muttered.  
"Gifts can be developed _over time_," Aro said to everyone, though it was clear it was directed at Caius.  
"She'll practise," Xeno added.  
"Good," Caius said simply.  
"Thank you, everyone... For your cooperation," Aro said immediately. "Until next time."  
He turned and Caius followed. Marcus nodded his goodbye and thanks before he headed out.  
"Thank you, Alec and Jane," Christian said.  
Alec and Jane turned and walked away, Luna watched after them.  
Before that day, Luna had never thought about what it was she was guarding, but it was obvious they had something more powerful and frightening. Something she didn't know. But she did know they were more capable than she thought.


	21. Pain and Nothing

Chapter Twenty-One

Pain and Nothing

Alec opened his bedroom door to let Luna in.  
Her hand was frozen in mid air, her fist balled for she was about to knock, but he had beaten her to it.  
"Good evening, Sir," she greeted, dropping her fist. She slinked in through the open door.  
Jane watched her enter from the couch under the window. She shuffled over a bit.  
"What an interesting afternoon we've had," Luna remarked as she sat down gingerly, next to Jane.  
"Indeed," Alec said, sitting down on the couch opposite them.  
"I couldn't believe Aro would put you in such danger," Jane commented harshly.  
"I don't think they meant to take my head off literally, Jane. I think Luna needed something to work for," Alec replied, grinning at Luna.  
Luna looked to the floor, trying to suppress her laughter. Jane watched her, an eyebrow raised.  
"Can you show us again?" Alec asked.  
"Sir?" Luna asked, looking up from the floor.  
"Show us your power again?"  
"Sure," Luna nodded, a smile tingling her face as she stood up.  
"No, it's not safe, Alec!" Jane disagreed.  
"Come, Jane! She has to improve!" Alec argued, standing as well.  
Jane closed her mouth, glaring at her defeat.  
Luna looked away from Jane, assured she wasn't going to intervene any further. She relaxed and felt her weight disappear.  
"Okay, try hitting me," Luna suggested.  
"I'll do it," Jane muttered, standing and folding her arms across her chest.  
Alec raised his hand slowly to Luna, as if to touch her, not to hit her. Jane watched him cautiously.  
His fingers were within a centi-metre of her shoulder, but they met nothing. Alec curled his hand into her hand, slightly disappointed that he couldn't touch her.  
'_Where did that come from_?' he asked himself, banishing the thought from his mind.  
Amazed he stretched his arm further, moving through the air as if she weren't there. He could see her, sharp and clear as the day, but her body was air.  
Luna's image lifted her hand. Alec pulled his out of her body and tried to take it. It kept on passing through it.  
"Keep still," Luna said.  
She moved her fingers through his hand, trying to find a grip.  
Then she found it. Slowly, a feeling of solidness returned, it only felt squishy. Alec could feel it too, could feel her touch returning. He watched her intently, a smile forming.  
Luna's jaw was clenched, her eyes clamped shut.  
Then she exhaled and gave up. She released her power and Alec's hand suddenly became hard and solid. She felt the strong bones and the tight muscles in his hand.  
Making use of the situation, Luna gripped it tighter and shook his hand.  
"Well done, Sir," she said.  
Alec responded with a smirk.  
"So, I'm a bodyguard and it never occurred to me what it was I was protecting before today?" Luna commented, releasing Alec's hand.  
Jane's face lit up and she gave Alec a wide grin.

Luna stood opposite Jane, Alec just to Jane's side.  
They stood in the space in the bottom left corner of the room, the door just behind Luna to the side.  
'_Just in case I need a quick escape_,' she thought.  
Alec's eyes darted backwards and forwards between them, a smile of apprehension upon his face.  
Luna watched Jane and Jane stared back at her.  
"You ready?" Alec teased.  
"Ready for what?" Luna asked, nerves and tension entering her emotions.  
"Pain," Jane said.  
And Luna was set on fire. Every cell was burning furiously. She couldn't think, couldn't hear, could barely see, didn't know where she was. Fire burned through her mind, bright and roaring.  
At first she was taken back to her transformation, the burning of venom. Now she could compare the difference. The venom had felt wet, like a thick liquid of burning acid travelling through her, burning every cell and leaving a new and improved one.  
This was actual fire, scolding flames licking at her bones, her organs and her ice hard flesh. On top of the bright orange glare filling her mind, she could picture herself turning to ash, burning away to nothing as it consumed her. She wanted to scream but didn't know if she had, she wanted to move and thrash about but wasn't aware that she could.  
Then it was gone. All traces of burning suddenly disappeared, her body, the room, felt cold in comparison. Her head cleared along with her vision and she could see the dull and dim grey interiors of Alec's room.  
Her unnecessary breathing was quick and sharp. She looked directly at the ground, her face looming over the deep charcoal rug. Her palms and knees started to respond from leaning against the ground. She realised she was on her hands and knees.  
She raised her head and looked up at Alec and Jane. They stood close together, both watching her. Jane had her head held high, her eyes searching and her smile straight, though the corners were slightly turned as normal.  
Alec watched her blankly, his eyes focused on her, watching her intently.  
"Consider that your punishment for tormenting my Brother," Jane mocked, raising her head higher.  
Alec's eyes darted to his Sister as he smirked, then slid back to Luna.  
Luna rolled off her hands and balanced on the soles of her feet.  
"Remind me not to misbehave in front of you," Luna replied, pushing herself up easily.  
Alec and Jane chuckled. And then switched places.  
'_Oh, hell_.'  
"So you burn people," Luna recounted, pointing at Jane, "and if you drown people, go right ahead," Luna finished pointing her fingers at Alec.  
He smirked and lifted his hands, a sadistic smile remaining on his face.  
From his bare, pale hands a faint, misty cloud hazed over the skin, blocking the details from Luna's sight. The mist grew and collected, growing darker and blacker. The two collections from his palms began to move further away from him, swirling toward her like large, foggy waves.  
Suddenly, individual tentacles shot out of the clouds, snaking around the room and surrounding her. The black tentacles of fog, she'd finally discovered their origin. Right from the hands of Alec himself. And she knew what was coming. A dangerous power that made everyone vulnerable and useless.  
Luna followed the tentacles around the room as they closed in slowly, mocking her, teasing her.  
Jane watched the black fog proudly, Alec had a smile of pure pleasure. He never tired of using his power.  
Jane felt every feeling of happiness drop out of body. She watched in horror as Luna followed the tentacles around the room, as if she knew they were there.  
Her eyes flickered to Alec nervously, his brow was furrowed in confusion.  
Luna reached out to touch a tentacle that dived in front of her.  
Jane threw a sharp arm on top of Alec's raised hands. Alec flinched in shock at his Sister's rash action and his concentration waned. The mist and tentacles recoiled, flowing quickly into Alec's lowering hands.  
"You can see it?" Jane whispered, a snarl bubbling under the surface of her current calmness.  
"Yes, Jane," Luna answered, watching the mist disappear. "It's... black mist," she continued, confusion and amazement clouding her calm and breathless tone.  
Jane turned her head to her Brother. He looked right back at her, their eyes filled with confusion and anxiety. Something was different about Luna Cain. Different like Alec and Jane were from the Guard. No one had visually been able to see their powers before except for themselves.  
Why was Luna Cain different, like them?

**Author's Note: Please let me know what you think by reviewing! Thanks a million for reading!**


	22. A City Sighting

Chapter Twenty-Two

A City Sighting

Italy. Out of all places and countries, Patrick Stone never thought his thirty-three year search would lead him here.  
His black horse trotted along the stone paths, only faintly visible among the grass. He sat higher above the horse, a wooden seat on his rattling wagon. The firm wood was begin to ache his mortal body.  
He looked over the countryside landscapes, the fields vast and green. Hills rising in shallow and long slopes.  
His black stallion, Dusk, rumbled deep in his throat, his hooves continuing to click along the ground. The carriage rocked and groaned as it travelled over the bumps in the path.  
Patrick turned to inspect his luggage. His crates of weapons were still secure and covered with a thick, white cloth.  
Dusk was a strong and experienced horse. He had been with him for a long time. But as far as experience went, Patrick was far richer than Dusk.  
A sixty-seven year old man Patrick was. He was still strong and lean, but looks hadn't favoured him.  
His hair was thinning and white, barely covering his whole head. It had once been blonde. Although his features were still strong, wrinkles creased his skin, forming heavy bags around his green eyes. White and grey stubble covered his chin, a moustache a little thicker than the rest. His skin was healthy and weathered, also displaying his age.  
The day was warm and sitting in the sun caused Patrick to cook in his black clothing. He wore a long, black trench coat over his tattered, black shirt and worn, grey vest, a button or two missing.  
Black, bulky boots met his tight fitting, black pants at his knees. His tattered and patchy top hat sat straight on his head, a thin layer of sweat building underneath it.  
A cross, made of silver, swung on his chest from a long chain. The silver cross had a swirling, black pattern decorating it.  
Stupid he was, and he knew it, to hunt Vampires. But he had to do it. He had to return dignity to his family.  
He lifted his top hat and fanned his face before placing it back.  
The carriage came round a blunt corner, a low hanging tree branch, full of green leaves, moved behind them, revealing the field in front.  
The sun beat down from behind a weak, wispy cloud. The field stretched far and slowly sloped up and up and finally Patrick could see the orange sandstone of constructions. Buildings belonging to Volterra.  
Patrick slowed Dusk to a stop.  
He stood up on the carriage and gazed at the city before him. The sun rays highlighted the edges of the tall Cathedrals in the heart of the city. He could see the tall and thin tower of the Clock Tower. All his life he had heard stories about Vampire covens and their ruthless leaders. Just a story.  
No Black Cross Hunter in history had ever succeeded in destroying a Vampire, but this was something he had to do. And was going to do it at all costs.

"Grazie, Signora, for bringing me outside," Florence thanked.  
"My pleasure," Luna replied, gripping a branch and hauling herself up higher.  
Florence jumped from branch to branch, ascending the great oak tree, in the field, higher and higher.  
It became lighter and greener as they reached the top.  
Florence's head broke the surface, finding a gap in the greenery.  
"Not so high!" Luna warned, gripping Florence's arm and easing her back out of the sun.  
Luna leaned back onto a strong branch, sitting down.  
She looked down at the ground, at least twelve metres below, and then looked up to Florence, standing on a thick log and gripping a branch that grew vertically next to her. She kept craning her head, then recoiling as she felt her face glimmer.  
"Sit down, Florence," Luna suggested.  
Florence eased herself onto her branch.  
"Now close your eyes. Tell me what you can hear?"  
Florence's lids dropped and concealed her bright, red irises.  
"The wind," she sighed. "A... Carriage?" she listed.  
Luna pricked her ears too. She could hear the faint groaning of wood, the clicking of hooves, the purring of a horse.  
"Hmm-hmm," Luna agreed.

Patrick tied Dusk's bridle around the tree branch of a shady tree. An entrance to the city was only up the small hill.  
Patrick gave his horse a soothing stroke and jogged from the shady protection of the tree, arching his back as he powered up the hill.  
He reached a waist high, brick wall, formed of the warm sand stone that built most of the city. The paving was bumpy and irregular, the black, iron gate rusty from lack of use.  
He decided this must be the back entrance to a villager's home.  
He quickly dashed through the tiny garden and disappeared into the dark shadows of the alley between the neighbours.  
He peered cautiously into the perfect street. It was quiet and peaceful. The path was cobblestones, the tone of warm, orange stone. The small and blocky homes were all identical along this back street.  
He crossed it and dipped into another alleyway. His goal, for now, was to familiarise himself with the streets.  
He did his best to remember the alleys and streets as he ducked and snaked through them.  
Lance and Vincent, both clad in grey cloaks, the colour of stormy clouds, strode through the shadowed alleys, cutting through the shortcuts they'd discovered over their centuries.  
Both tall men, they ducked when they entered each tunnel. This alley had a covered crossroad. The four corners of the buildings rose two stories high, concealing them from the sun.  
Vincent suddenly stopped and gripped Lance's arm, pulling him back to his side.  
Lance glared, confused and Vincent pointed to his sighting.  
They stared at man, clad in black, who they instantly recognised as a Hunter. They stared blankly, laughter echoing around inside them as they watched the man perform like a ridiculously cheesy ninja.  
They looked to each other and in a second were gone, separated to go their different ways.  
Patrick rotated around on his feet as he trekked down each alley. Stopping and leaning out at each end.  
'_This is disappointingly boring_,' Patrick grumbled to himself.  
He dropped his tense stance and glared at the uneventful streets.  
He turned and walked quickly back down the alley. He came to the feeble, waist high barrier that ran wonkily around the city's border. He smacked his hand down and put a leg up and pushed himself up.  
His other foot scuffed the edge and he lost his balance, giving a small, manly yelp. The bushes crunched and rustled as the impact was made. The experienced Hunter yelped and grunted as he continued to roll down the hill, arms and legs flailing as he tried to slow his descent.  
Vincent and Lance met again at the end of alley, surprised to see each other. They looked up the alley and then behind themselves before pausing. They both looked to the waist high barrier and followed the scent to the edge.  
They could feel the Hunter's presence from only moments before. The breathed in his thick stench in the air.  
Then they looked down at the broken and trampled bushes. They followed it down the hill and saw a track of flat and disturbed grass stretching down the irregular hill.  
They looked to each other and Vincent shrugged.  
"He's gone now."  
"We should still report this to the Brothers," Lance suggested.  
"Of course," Vincent agreed as they turned and headed back.

A knock sounded on the Throne Room doors. Felix and Demitri strode forward to open them widely.  
The table was set up again, books out and candles lit. Xeno stood talking to Marcus behind the table, pointing to passages in the open book Marcus was holding.  
On the other side, Aro and Caius had their backs to the door. Caius relaxed in a chair, listening to Xeno and Marcus.  
Aro sat to his side, a book open on his crossed legs. He just stared at it, not really taking anything in.  
Lance and Vincent strode in, removing their hoods.  
"You're back early," Caius remarked bluntly, not turning in his seat.  
Marcus and Xeno ceased their talking to watch.  
Aro closed his book onto the table and stood up.  
"Is something the matter?" Aro asked gently, his voice calm and soothing.  
Lance continued to walk forward, Vincent to his side.  
"Master, we came across an impediment."  
Renata moved away from her place on the wall, taking a protective step towards her Masters. Felix and Demitri strolled closer, faces curious in anticipation.  
A couple of Guards had gathered at the door, Hazel among them.  
"We saw a Slayer."  
All movement stopped, the room fell into instant silence. Felix and Demitri's eyes darted at each of the Masters. They looked at each other then began smirking.  
The other Guard heard them and couldn't control themselves. They began giggling like school girls.  
Aro broke the silence by releasing a loud, jolly laugh.  
Xeno chuckled nervously.  
"Were is he now?" Aro sighed, ending his hysterics.  
"Gone," Vincent answered.  
"As in dead?" Caius demanded, standing.  
"As in has left the city premises, Master," Lance replied quietly.  
Caius' face hardened severely. "How could you have possibly let him live?" he snarled.  
"He left with his own free will," Lance quickly explained.  
Aro raised an eyebrow. "Well, keep an eye out. Is Christian here?"  
"I'll find him for you, Sire," Hazel volunteered from the door.  
"Thank you, Hazel," Aro replied.  
Hazel nodded and ducked back through the door.  
Aro turned back and strolled towards the table.  
"Do you think this Slayer's looking for us?" Caius asked, leaning against the table.  
"Perhaps," Aro replied. "A foolish attempt to be solitary. No Slayer has ever succeeded in destroying our kind."  
"Maybe they've found a way?" Xeno suggested.  
"Impossible. Only we have the capability of destroying each other," Caius interjected, turning his head to see Xeno out of the corner of his eye.  
Christian walked into the Throne Room, Hazel following. He walked to the middle of the floor and Aro came forward to meet him.  
"Christian, could you please alert the patrol teams of a friendly Slayer whose been visiting? If they find him, bring him straight here," Aro commanded.  
"Yes, Master," Christian nodded.  
He walked from the room, Hazel trailing after him.  
"Thank you, gentlemen," Aro nodded to Lance and Vincent.  
"Master," Lance regarded and they filed out of the room, following the Guard disappearing from the door.  
The heavy doors rumbled closed and Felix and Demitri resumed their places.  
"If he returns?..." Caius drawled.  
Aro shrugged. "We kill him."

A gap of light appeared, blinding against the pitch black inside of the closet. Luna opened it gently, the room behind in a warm glow from the candles burning inside their lamps. She peered into the top shelf and Blue tiredly hoped to the edge of the shelf.  
He peered down at her, his black eyes droopy, the light shining tiny orbs onto the wet surfaces.  
Luna stretched up and stroked his head with a finger. His eyes fell closed in appreciation. She caressed him down his body with the back of her hand.  
The black ring, on her finger, released wispy black smoke as she went. The mist drifted around Blue, absorbing into his feathers. Blue's posture straightened and he opened his eyes wider, energy sparkling in the brightness. The ring became slightly warmer on her finger.  
A knock came from the door and Blue flinched. Luna gently closed the door while looking at her clock. She wasn't needed at Jane's for another minute. She zipped across the floor to the door opposite.  
She opened it to find Jane.  
"Oh, good evening Jane," Luna greeted happily.  
"Good evening," Jane replied. "I'm heading down to the Common Room tonight."  
"Of course, do you need me to accompany you?"  
"You have to," Jane answered.  
"Just checking," Luna defended.  
She walked from the door and blew out the candles in the room, each corner and wall falling into navy blue darkness. The last candle died and the furniture and shadows in the room turned black.  
"Okay," Luna said to herself.  
Jane walked from the door and Luna followed her out, the door shutting with a heavy click behind her.

The Common Room had a welcoming buzzing of conversation. The fire roared in the pit, lighting half the room. Jane managed to secure the lounge in front of it.  
Both of the lounges on each side were occupied by groups, one end of the long dining table filled with chatting male Guards.  
Christian opened the creaking, double doors, Richard following him silently.  
All conversation ceased as he entered, in respect. They always knew Christian had something to say.  
Hazel and a few curious Guard members followed him though the door, stopping to listen.  
Christian stood at the unoccupied end of the table so he could be seen by all the Guard.  
"A message for the patrol teams," he began.  
A few of the Guard stood, including Luna.  
Fletcher casually strolled to Luna's side from behind as he listened to Christian.  
"The patrol teams are cautioned for there has been a Slayer sighting-"  
A few Guards began chuckling.  
"If you find him," Christian continued, raising his voice, "bring him to the Brothers immediately."  
The Guards nodded in response.  
Christian thanked them and left, Richard following purposefully. The Guards at the door dispersed and left.  
Luna looked to her left, to Fletcher.  
He raised a mocking eyebrow and walked back to his group.  
Obviously there was no danger. Christian didn't doubt for a second that the Guard could defeat him.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading, please leave a review.**


	23. An Open Conversation

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to ChelseaLouisePowell for following and favouriting! I really appreciate the support! Also to my Sister who fell over, broke her front tooth and fractured her nose. I congratulate her! But don't worry! She's all well and good!**

Chapter Twenty-Three

An Open Conversation

Alec sat on the couch at the foot of his bed, elbows on his knees and staring at the navy blue sky outside the window.  
A book on English history was open in his hands, one that Jane had encouraged him to read. He had nothing else to do, but he found the book only mildly interesting.  
The candles placed around his room glowed warmly. He could see his reflection off the glass.  
Luna knocked on the door. Alec stood and snapped the book shut, but Luna was already speaking.  
"Hold on, Sir! Watch this."  
Suddenly Luna's head and shoulders appeared through the wall, followed by her other half.  
Alec chuckled. "What a useful, little ability you have there."  
"It's nothing in comparison to your's, Sir," Luna waved off.  
Alec grinned and turned around, walking to his bedside table.  
Luna twisted her ring around her finger and walked to the window. She looked out of it, seeing navy blue and her clear reflection in the window, behind her the large posts of the bed and Alec's back to the right of it.  
"I'm curious, Sir," Luna began. "Do you know what would trigger such a power?" she asked, turning back round to face him.  
"In fact... I do know. Very well," Alec replied as he put the book into the draw. He turned back round to face her.  
"It was also the event of my transformation. When... Fate dealt us a terrible blow. What we'd interpreted as a punishment."  
Luna slowly crept forward as he spoke. "We?"  
"Jane and I," he answered.  
He sighed and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Luna stood before him, a whole head taller.  
"It's not a pretty story, he sighed.  
"Tell me anyway," Luna replied gently. She reached out her hand and gripped his, resting in his lap. Alec met her kind eyes and gave her a weak smile. He gripped her hand tighter, Luna stroking it with her thumb.  
Alec inhaled. There was nothing nervous about the motion, just simple preparation.  
"Jane and I were born in the... Early eight-hundreds A.D, in England," he began. "During the rule of the Anglo-Saxons."

_The sky was clear and bright, the sun full and the clouds puffy and white. Very rare and cherished were days such as this in England.  
The homes were surrounded by towering trees with thick trunks, branches full of leaves, entwining with each other, creating a thick canopy.  
The tiny cottages that stood in the large clearing were built for one room. The walls were wooden planks and the roofs made of thick bales of golden straw, smoke swirling out of stone pillars poking out of the hay.  
All homes were identical. Flowers and crops growing in small gardens out the front of the homes.  
The cottages were in random order, a weak, stone path zigzagging between them, trying to form some clarity between the vast collection.  
Goats bleated and horses rumbled as they pulled carriages along the winding path. Villagers milled about the village, carrying on with their daily chores.  
The women wore dresses, the material around the chest hugging tight, laces securing it at the front. The sleeves were long and so were the skirts, swirling around their ankles as they moved.  
The men wore tattered shirts and pants, boots meeting the hems and thick, baggy vests hanging off their shoulders.  
The colours ranged from blues, reds, browns and greys.  
The small church sat in the middle of the village, the only construction formed from grey stone. A wooden cross sat secured to the point on the thatched roof._

"They were a very religious group. We believed very devotedly in... God," Alec spat the name, a snarl curling it.

_Just behind a tree, concealing her from the village houses and path, a ten year old Jane picked a closed flower from the grass. The thin petals were still shut tight, the outside tinged with a faint green.  
She inspected it carefully with her big, blue eyes. The lids completely clean and creamy, blood flushing her cheeks a soft, gentle pink. She twirled it around in her fingers.  
Her dress was a dark blue and fading, the material worn and tattered. Her blonde hair was tied back in a loose plait down her back.  
She placed the torn stem in between her fingers and slowly, the green tinge on the outside faded, replaced by a creamy pink. The petals pulled apart and jerked open, flopping heavily apart until they formed an outer circle, revealing the yellow inner circle, dusty with fresh pollen.  
Jane smiled, her pink, shiny lips widening._

"We were very close, Jane and I... But we were also very different."

"_Freak!" a girl's shrill voice shrieked.  
Jane gasped and looked up.  
The girl smacked the flower out of her hand. Her hair and eyes were a dark brown, her face freckly. The dress she wore was a fading red.  
Jane clenched her jaw tightly. She stood up but was the same height as the girl.  
Her three friends, two boys and a girl grinned maliciously behind her.  
"You know what Father Benedict said," the girl taunted, shoving Jane back. "You and your freaky Twin will go straight to hell for doing magic."  
"Hey!" another boy called.  
He came out of the tree behind Jane, standing next to her protectively. He was ten like his Sister. His dark brown hair was long, but not quite meeting his shoulders. He wore the attire of every man and boy, all his pieces grey except for his navy blue vest. He glared at the group, with piercing blue eyes.  
"Go away! Leave her be!" Alec growled.  
"She was doing magic again! Father Benedict said you'll get us cursed-" the girl argued.  
"Or maybe I'll curse you if you don't leave!" Alec interjected.  
The children gasped, Jane looked to her Brother nervously.  
"You wouldn't dare!" the girl snarled._

"Things happened. Things we couldn't explain, couldn't control. Things we didn't even understand ourselves."

_The girl lurched forward, Alec and Jane flinched back.  
The girl gasped as her toes stubbed against the hard wood of an exposed tree root. She jerked forward, giving a yelp and waving her arms to stop her fall. She landed harshly on the ground, the impact knocking the air from her lungs, her face smashing onto the ground at the Twin's feet.  
Her face bounced back up and thick, dark blood began to pulse from her nose, running over her lips and down her chin, trickling into her mouth. She gave a sudden howling cry, the blood dripping and pooling into the green grass, staining it red.  
Her friends stood with their mouths agape.  
The girl scrambled to her feet, Alec and Jane watching her, their eyes wide with surprise and terror. The girl ran away, back towards the village path, her friends following quickly after her.  
Tears streamed down her face, along with the blood.  
"Mother! Mother!" she screamed, her voice shrill and piercing, making all the villages turn.  
The adults rushed to her aid, cupping her face and soaking the blood with their clothes.  
"The Witch Twins!" she screamed between heavy breathing and sobs. "The Witch Twins did this to me!"  
Father Benedict stood tall with his arms crossed on top of his black robe. He looked past the bustling crowd of panicking villagers, with his pale blue eyes, into the forest and past the tree where he saw a flash of blue.  
His face was wrinkled and tired with age, the skin pale and his hair white and wispy.  
The Mother pushed past Father Benedict, unintentionally jostling his bony stature, but he hardly cared.  
She screamed and cried for her little girl as the villagers separated to let her through._

Luna felt herself grow weak. Alec's words were all too familiar. Her face furrowed in concern and sympathy, she gripped Alec's hand tighter.  
"We were held responsible for all the mishaps in the village afterwards. Jane and I did believe that we caused some of them, we just didn't know how.  
"Soon they couldn't take any more."

_The wooden door to the cottage crashed open. Alec and Jane's Father fell through onto the floor. Their Mother screeched from the basin and Alec and Jane jumped to their feet.  
Men, other villagers, filed into the house, bearing pitchforks and rakes. They pointed them to the Parents while other weaponless men grabbed the Twins. Jane shrieked as they grabbed her arms roughly. Alec struggled against his captors, his Sister's screams driving him. He ripped one arm free and brought his fist into the man's face. The man released Alec and held his bleeding nose.  
The other grabbed Alec again before he could take more than two advances towards his Sister.  
Their Mother sobbed and screamed. Their Father lunged at their deceitful neighbours, but they poked their weapons forward, keeping him back.  
Jane dropped to her knees, trying to twist out of their grips, but they just dragged her instead.  
Alec continued to thrash and his captor grabbed as much hair as he could on the back of Alec's neck. He grimaced and went with it. The men pushed him out the door after his Sister. Their Mother screamed reaching out of them. She attempted to sneak past but she was smacked across the face. Their Father roared and lunged at the men, sparking a second brawl in the small house.  
The villagers screamed at them as they followed them through the streets. The sky was darkening, the shade of blue turning navy. The sun drooped behind the forest trees, the leaves of the branches covering its eyes. Not even the sun wanted to see.  
Only young, half-adults they were, young people fresh out of childhood, fifteen, the age to officially begin their lives.  
Jane's eyes teared, her chest shook and gripped the hand that had a firm lock on her blonde hair. How innocent and helpless she looked. Alec trashed about as they lead them down the path.  
Soon the middle of the village opened, in the small space stood the Church. The other villagers had gathered round the front, but the space in front of the tall, wooden doors was clear.  
Father Benedict stood in the centre, arms folded sternly across his chest, completely timeless. His black cloak shrouding him.  
The villagers pushed Alec and Jane closer to him, Jane's tears rolled and Alec's eyes were wide, both nervous and unsure of what was to become of them.  
Father Benedict stepped aside, revealing two tall posts standing before the church. A square bale of hay stood underneath them, sticks lying around them.  
"Tie them," Father Benedict ordered.  
Alec tried a sudden lurch. He ripped free and struck his other captor. He dived at Jane and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She sobbed into him.  
The villagers pulled them apart, Jane sobbed louder as her Brother's warm arms left her cold.  
"It's going to be okay, Jane," Alec said frantically, struggling against the men.  
Jane held onto his words tightly, them ringing in her head over the crowds cheering and shouting.  
Alec was dragged towards the pole on the left. Jane yelped and struggled as she was pulled to the right pole.  
A man took a high step onto the hay bale and pulled Alec up after him. The other man pulled himself up and they ripped Alec's arms behind his back, firmly. No chance of escape. They picked up the rope from the floor and wound it round tightly. Alec pulled, panic taking him over. Jane was lugged upwards onto her bale. The other man securing her wrists.  
Jane yelped, her sobs shaking the sound.  
"Jane!" Alec called. He pulled harder, the thick pole not budging and the rope only tightening.  
The crowd became full, everyone was here. The Twins searched for the faces of their Mum and Dad.  
"Today we end our misery, our suffering, our life of caution and our curse!" Father Benedict bellowed over the crowd, his deep voice travelling easily. "Today, we kill the Witch Twins! We deliver to them their fate and what they've always deserved!"  
The crowd cheered louder and two men walked forward, in their hands flaming torches. The flames were tall, strong and hungry. They approached the pyres, Alec and Jane making their last struggles.  
"Jane!" Alec called.  
Jane looked to her Brother, tears rolling down her face.  
"I love you, so much! I'll never let you go!" Alec promised.  
"I love you too-" Jane was cut off over the roaring of flames. The men touched them to the hay and it instantly spread with a roar. It sped around the bale surrounding them both, sending smoke around them.  
"No-!" Jane screamed, the sound jumpy with sobs.  
The hay beneath them turned black, disintegrating to tiny, fine, black hairs, their edges glowing orange with heat.  
The fire had already caught to the wood and sticks around, feeding the flames. The fire crackled and popped, a constant thrumming, ringing in their ears. The flames rose higher and burned closer in, then they licked mockingly at their bare feet. Alec hissed and tried to move, thrashing about on his post. Jane whimpered and looked up, hunching and making herself thinner.  
The flames grew bigger as they discovered their new fuel. Sweat covered the Twins as the air grew hotter and stuffier.  
The orange flames sent another scorching wave at the feet and ankles, they couldn't move any further back. The flames scorched their wrists from behind.  
The flames permanently moved in, licking their feet, turning the skin red. Jane screamed. She thrashed about, breathing and gasping heavily.  
Alec's eyes bulged, he shut them tight and clenched his jaw, tilting his head back as he attempted to contort his body.  
The orange flames rose higher into their faces.  
Their feet began to blister and Alec shrieked, he groaned sharply through his teeth.  
Jane looked to her Brother, watched him struggling and screaming through the bright orange flames in her face. Her breathing was heavy and slow.  
Her eyes changed as she watched her Brother's suffering. Even the ice blue irises seemed to burn brighter than the fire surrounding her. She turned her head back to the cheering crowd, her eyes narrowed as she eyed them one by one.  
The flames rose higher, an unbearable stinging prickling her legs. She screamed again and the crowd cheered louder.  
"I HATE YOU ALL!" Jane screamed. Her eyes blazed with dangerous anger. "YOU WILL ALL SUFFER! EVERYONE WILL SUFFER!"  
Another wave consumed her and her words melted into a scream. Her dress caught alight, burning her thighs. The thick smell of burning wood and rotting flesh moulded with the fumes of material.  
Alec sobbed for his Sister. He closed his eyes tightly and focused on his breathing, on the frantic beating of his heart. He clenched his jaw tightly, his teeth bared as he tilted his head to the sky.  
Jane's screams became one with the background. The heat made his head lighter, his vision whitening, though he could still see the bright flames.  
His head was dizzy from the increasing heat, or was it the smell of burning blood and flesh making him sick.  
Just when he began to settle the fire increased once again, her jerked on his pole.  
'Relax, relax!' he told himself. He breathed in the thick smoke through his nose.  
Jane's head swam, her body stung all over, she could feel herself disintegrating.  
They had lost the feeling in their legs, they tingled numbly but could still feel the stinging heat. Their legs and thighs were charred and black, under the soot the skin was red and swollen, large blisters covering them, patches of blood breaking through the thin skin.  
Their fingers were numb and gone too. The flames consumed the clothing around their waists. The high flames lapped at their faces, singed their hair.  
The cheers of the crowd became a buzz, the only sound except the roaring of flames in their consciousness.  
Alec hardly noticed when the tone and pitch of these cheers changed. Changed to a different emotion.  
Jane tilted her head slowly, her eyes fluttering as she tried to see.  
The screams were panicked, giving Jane satisfaction, but she was too dizzy to comprehend what it really meant.  
Suddenly the cocoon of flames enclosing her disappeared, the cold air hitting her hard. She heard the splashing and sizzling above the screaming crowd sound from next to her.  
Jane kept her eyes closed. Embracing the cold and still air gratefully. Although the flames were gone, every single limb was screaming and stinging.  
The ropes around their hands were taken away and Alec collapsed forward, his legs too damaged to support his weight. Cold hands, freezing in fact, gripped him before he fell on his face. Gently he was taken from the charred hay bake and laid on the grass in front of the Church.  
The sky was now a deep purple, the clouds a deep blue-grey mist against it.  
The screams were becoming fewer, the peace and quiet a relief, the crackling of flames still an echo in their ears.  
Alec felt Jane lay gently next to him. The burns stung madly upon contact, but couldn't bring themselves to move, it wouldn't make a difference.  
Alec could sense someone looming above them, sitting in between their bodies.  
Aro lifted the Twins' charred and blistered hands onto their stomachs, the fingers bleeding through the thin skin. He held them gently. His black hair floated around his face in the cool, night wind. His cloak was big and black, blending him with the shadows of the night.  
Caius and Marcus zipped to his side suddenly, both standing above him, clad in the same cloaks.  
They seemed curious and wary as they watched Aro, their eyes flickering to the Twins' still and bloody bodies.  
"Do you think we were too late?" Caius asked.  
"No, they're still alive," Marcus answered, although the question was directed for Aro. "We should change them now, Brother," Marcus said gently, crouching down beside Jane.  
"I don't know," Caius said, nervously. "They're barely above childhood!"  
"There's nothing more that can be done, Brother," Aro interjected quickly. "We've waited for this. Now there's no time left."  
Marcus nodded to Aro as Aro turned his head back to the Twins.  
Aro gripped Jane's chin gently, tilting it to the side. Her expression moved, a little whimper of pain and discomfort.  
Aro bent down and bit into her neck. Jane's jaw tensed, as if to scream, but the motion was soundless.  
Aro released and bent to Alec, tilting his head to the left, his face facing his Sister.  
Alec's body tensed as Aro bit down, his nerves recognising the new pain.  
And then the venom spread, the flames now inside his body, equally as intense as the last._

"Aro, Marcus and Caius arrived in time to interrupt our execution," Alec sighed, his eyes returned to the present with a glimmer. He stood, getting the chance to stand three inches over Luna.  
With his other hand he covered hers, still clinging to his comfortingly. Luna gave him her full attention, her wide eyes boring into his, horrified.  
"Fire is a horrible death. One that changed Jane and I. And I'm not speaking about the venom. The _experience_ changed something in Jane and I, made us delight in watching people suffer, giving us lethal weapons to do so.  
"When the venom began to burn us instead, I thought we were entering hell, that our burning would never end. I just wanted to die. But death wasn't my fate. This was," he said, tugging on Luna's hand to show he meant his present state.  
"This was destiny, and I'd never change it. I'd go through it all again for this," he finished.  
He lowered their hands. As they reached their limits they broke apart.  
Luna swallowed and looked to the ground as Alec walked from her side.  
Her mind buzzed beyond comprehension. So many things made sense but then didn't add up with each other. Her mind felt distant, back in eight-hundred A.D, living through the burning. She could see the flickering orange flames in her face, feel the heat in the air. Then she realised she was reliving Jane's power. What it had felt like.  
She felt Alec watching her from in front of the window, his black suit jacket reflecting off the window.  
Even the tiny, tame candles in the room were hard to watch.  
She looked up to him and swallowed her horror again, giving him a weak smile.  
He watched her, returning the expression, but his features displayed something deeper. Guilt? Apology?  
Luna walked over to him, unaware of how stiff she was. She tried loosening the tensity resting in the frozen muscles in her arms and legs. Alec sat back on the couch, his back twisted so he could lean his elbow on the back of the couch and look out the window.  
Luna mimicked the movement.  
"Who was born first," she grinned after a moment of quiet.  
Alec grinned back, though his eyes were still focused on the black abyss outside. Little did Luna know that he was watching her reflection.  
"Jane was born five minutes before me."  
Luna nodded, her dreamy smile widening.  
"I think your tale of woe was much worse than mine," she teased. "In my opinion, those children were just jealous. Because you're special, and they weren't," Luna commented, regaining her optimism.  
Alec smiled again. "Thank you," he said.  
Luna could sense that it was meant for more than her comment.  
She nodded back to him with a smile. "Always welcome."

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading my longest chapter! Please leave a review!**


	24. A Dangerous Attachment

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to InkHeart23, (Inky,) for your review. Feedback and support is greatly appreciated.**

Chapter Twenty-Four

A Dangerous Attachment

"It's been nothing official yet," Hazel explained to Luna, Alec and Jane.  
They listened quietly, though Luna didn't want to hear this at all.  
They sat in the Common Room, on the Lounge in the left corner. Hazel and Luna sat on the couch on the back of the wall, Jane on the one to the left wall. Alec had brought up a chair, facing Hazel and Luna.  
Hazel, Luna and Jane sat gingerly on their places while Alec relaxed into his chair.  
"I'm sure we'll hear the announcement soon enough," Hazel continued. "After all these years Elizabeth, Luna and I haven't managed to find some control for the children. But it's probably for the best that we don't have Immortal Children," Hazel spoke about them as if she were considering re-doing her wardrobe, but Luna could hear the deeper emotion in her voice.  
Luna shuffled in her seat.  
The other lounges were occupied, the usual, comforting buzz of conversation warming the room.  
Suddenly the voices dropped, one by one, and stopped altogether. The Guard standing sneered down at the little girl bravely walking through. The men at the table turned in their seats to stare menacingly at her through narrowed eyes.  
Florence swallowed, hunching her shoulders and keeping her eyes on the ground.  
Luna sat up straighter and moved across slightly.  
Hazel watched her sadly.  
She stopped beside Alec and he watched her with his usual expression, a faint smile.  
"May I sit, Signora?"  
"Of course," Luna answered quietly, patting the space between her and Hazel.  
Florence quickly skipped to Luna's protection. She always felt safe with her.  
Jane watched her with nonchalance as she passed by her.  
Hazel looked at her sadly as she climbed onto the couch and slowly and cautiously, wrapped her arms around Luna's arm, hugging her close.  
Florence was smarter than she looked. She recognised the behaviours of the Adults around her and sensed something bad was coming. When Victor and Antonio failed, they failed for her as well.  
She rested her head against Luna's strong arm, her eyes drooping peacefully.  
Luna felt warm inside to have someone depend on her like this, but she couldn't stand it. Luna looked away from Florence as she hugged her arm tight, and stared into the distance.  
Alec watched Luna carefully, and was concerned about how dangerously attached Luna was to the child.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please, please, pretty please, with sugar on top, leave a review. And if you've been reading all the chapters please just follow or favourite! I really do appreciate the support!**


	25. A Restless Night

**Author's Note: A massive thank you to NaoKyeRay for your review! Yes, my Sister is just fine, thank you. She'll be as touched by your concern, as am I.**

Chapter Twenty-Five

A Restless Night

The quiet city of Volterra was silent in the early hours of the morning. All the villagers still slept in their small homes while the windows of the Clock Tower glowed warmly, bright yellow orbs against the blackness of night.  
Luna sat comfortably in her chair, the thin curtains behind her shut tightly over the three windows. Blue hopped around her bed, the candles projecting his black shadows hugely onto the wall. Luna watched him, a pencil and sheet of paper in her lap, absent minded.  
Suddenly a muffled scream broke out, far away, though still loud enough for Luna to hear. The pitch stung Luna's sensitive eardrums and made her shiver inside.  
Luna stood up immediately and dropped her utensils onto the bed, startling Blue. He hadn't heard anything, he didn't have the enhanced hearing of a Vampire so he blinked after Luna as if she were mental.  
The door handle clicked open and it swung heavily. Luna placed one foot into the hallway and the door opposite her's clicked open.  
"It's okay!" Alec whispered, holding up a hand to calm her.  
"But, Sir..." Luna began, looking out the window in between the walls, showing a dark view of the rest of the Clock Tower. From behind the Courtyard she could see the reception area glowing, behind that the Throne Room.  
"The Secretary has probably been killed," Alec said, as if it were as normal as Training.  
Luna looked out the window again, to the glowing area of reception. She felt her spirits lower as she thought of Dahlia.  
"Come in," he said, stepping aside, making the door wider. His room was glowing brightly and warmly with candlelight.  
Luna closed her own door and walked to him.  
"Thank you, Sir," she said as she passed him.  
Jane smiled at her from the couch at the foot of Alec's bed. Her blonde hair was braided loosely over her shoulder.  
"That one did alright. Just about a year we had her," Jane commented in jest.  
Alec agreed with a smirk and a nod. Luna took a seat next to Jane.  
Luna felt like the Jane she knew was a completely different person to the little girl she once was. Pure, sweet and innocent. But Jane was now cruel, sadistic and arrogant, but rightly so. Anyone could forgive an anger such as this.  
"Luna? Are you okay?" Jane's voice echoed around in Luna's head, bringing her mind closer to the present.  
Luna looked up from her thoughtful gaze on the carpet, her eyes flickering to life again.  
"Of course, she answered. "Sorry, I was just thinking."  
Jane nodded slowly, keeping a wary eye on her.  
Alec read Luna's expression better, her inner feelings.  
"I told Luna about our past," Alec said simply.  
Luna looked to Alec sharply and Jane stood up quickly. Her body tensed and her eyes confused.  
"Why, Brother?"  
Alec shrugged, leaning against the couch opposite them casually. "She was going to learn of it eventually."  
"It was better to hear it from you," Luna agreed.  
Jane glared down at her. The anger wasn't caused by Luna; it was Jane's memory of the torment that infuriated her.  
Jane looked away from her and began to drift away, but Luna caught her before she could.  
"Jane!" she said, jumping up and gripping her hand. Jane turned back around, surprised. "I understand now. I promise you I'll always be here. I really care about you. Both of you," she pleaded, looking to Alec as well.  
His head tilted slightly.  
Jane looked at her warily but Luna pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around her. She didn't worry about what Jane would think, she just had to. Jane was startled at first but eventually responded, hugging her back gently.  
"I'm sorry," Luna whispered quietly.  
She let her go slowly.  
Jane smiled weakly at her, though kept her head high. "Thank you, Luna," she replied, her voice the quietest Luna had ever heard it.  
"I'll see you tomorrow," Luna told them, unsure of what to do. The only solution she could come to was leaving this awkward mess.  
She nodded to Alec warmly as she walked past him and out the door. Alec listened to the sound of her exit while he kept his eyes on Jane.

Luna walked down the corridor of first floor, passing all the small corridors leading to other rooms. The hallway was cool, the moisture preserved in the stones. It was early morning and dawn was approaching.  
"Luna!" Alec called, walking quickly down the hallway after her.  
Luna turned around immediately. "Yes, Sir?"  
He stopped in front of her and paused, unsure of how to proceed.  
"Thank you," he said eventually. "Jane's never had a proper friend before. Only a Brother and a Master. She really needs you."  
"Of course," Luna replied, beaming.  
Alec grinned back and nodded his goodbye. They both turned and headed their own ways.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading; please let me know what you think!**


	26. An Insuperable Truth

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to the person I know as "Guest," for your awesome review. It's great to see you responding to this story. The support is so uplifting. And we'll see about Jane and Luna's relationship!**

Chapter Twenty-Six

An Insuperable Truth

The sun took longer to wake the next morning. Dark, angry clouds covered it as Volterra moved into its Autumn season. The air was cooler with a bitter bite. The sky at the early hour was navy blue, ever so slightly lightening. The buildings were distinct, the shadows on the streets sharp and dark.  
The path in front of Fletcher froze in a thick carpet of sparkling, blue ice. He skated swiftly and calmly across his track, the solid ice melting back to water as he passed.  
Becoming bored, his path began to swirl and wave, he gave little flips in the air as he went, dragging his fingers over the walls, a pattern of swirling ice flowing and swirling in his wake.  
Luna watched him glide ahead, as if he really were on a frozen lake.  
Fletcher jumped of his ice path and into a tunnel, resuming walking like a normal person.  
"Did you hear the Secretary go the other night?" Fletcher asked, dragging his fingers lightly against the wall. The ice seemed to almost glow.  
Luna only nodded.  
"I bet they'll have another by the time we're back. They come as quick as they go!" he chuckled to himself.  
They reached the end of the tunnel and stepped out into the cold, open street again. Suddenly Luna felt the air move behind her, heard the scuffing of footsteps and the beating of a heart.  
Luna focused calling on her defence. The man fell through her, her body turned heavy and slow as he fell through. He gasped and collapsed on the floor.  
His battered top hat fell of his head, tumbling across the stones, revealing his wispy, white hair. He spun round on his knees and looked back up at Luna with his green eyes, wide with bewilderedness and confusion.  
Fletcher grabbed the collar of his black clothing, lugging him to his feet.  
The silver cross with thick, black markings, glinted brightly as it jiggled, shining into Luna's eyes.  
"I think this is our Slayer friend," Luna said calmly, though nothing in her voice suggested friendliness.  
The man thrashed about but Fletcher's grip was iron. The slayer kicked and punched his body but Fletcher didn't seem to notice.  
"Let's take him back," Luna directed.  
Fletcher hauled the man to face the other way and pushed him back up the street. Luna followed behind but stopped suddenly. She stooped to pick up the battered, black top hat, her dress and cloak folding on the ground. She dusted it with her gloved hand and stood back up.  
"That was easy," she muttered to herself, holding the hat carefully, as if it were a weapon as well. Her shoes clicked along the stone as she followed Fletcher.

Fletcher paused at the steps of the Clock Tower and allowed Luna to go first. The Slayer stared up at the tall, ancient stricture incredulously. She jumped up the few stairs and opened the front doors widely, Fletcher pushing the Slayer in afterwards. Luna pushed the doors shut. They groaned and closed with a heavy clank.  
Fletcher and Luna pulled off the hoods as the headed down the middle corridor.  
The halls were quiet, their footsteps echoing off the walls, the Slayer's stumbles obvious amongst the rhythm.  
Many doors clicked open, the occupants curiously following them into the corridors.  
Guard members emerged from the Common Room, watching them in surprise as they reached the end and turned right at the Courtyard, the light offered still very dim. The candles and pyres were still burning brightly and hungrily along the walls.  
The corridor darkened as the windows closed over, heading into the Reception area. The desk still seemed as if it were occupied, paper and books still covering the desk, a candle still alight.  
Fletcher paused again at the tall double doors, Luna walked forwards to knock.  
Immediately the doors swung open swiftly, the room of grey stone opened up before them, the three thrones on the raised platform distant.  
Felix and Demitri brightened once they saw what Fletcher and Luna had brought.  
Aro leaned forward in his chair, leaning towards the woman lounging on the stairs in front of him. Sulpicia. Her dress was black, the sleeves silky and tight, ending just at her elbows.  
The neck line was a 'V' shape and hung low and elegantly. Her brown hair was curled delicately.  
Their loving gaze was broken as they both looked up at their company.  
"Excuse us, Master," Luna began.  
Sulpicia straightened up on the stairs, Aro rose slowly from his throne, eyes wide in surprised delight.  
"You found him!" Aro breathed, clasping his hands together as he walked quickly to the centre, straight to business.  
Most of the Guard had filed into the room, sticking to the round edges.  
"Oh! Where are my Brothers?" Aro exclaimed. "Could someone bring them? Thank you!"  
Two Guards drifted from the room.  
Fletcher forced the man to his knees on the centre of the floor in front of Aro. Luna kept to the side.  
Alec and Jane entered through the doors as they cleared, walking across the floor to take their places in the top right corner, floating metres away front the Thrones.  
The male Guards covered the left hand side of the room. Beth and Hazel stood near the door, Florence silently sneaked in and hid behind Hazel. Hazel put her arm around the child comfortingly.  
The two Guard members re-entered and from the back of the room Marcus and Caius entered from the left. Anthenodora clung to Caius' arm lovingly. A female Guard member who Luna hardly saw, Corin, followed them silently. Her features were gentle and a passive feel. Her hair hung to her straight to her shoulders. The shade a very light brown. Her dress was the same as most female Guards.  
The room was dim. Not enough sunlight came through the stain glass window for light. The pyres along the stone wall made the room glow an eerie orange. The Vampires' shadows were long and dark as they stood in a wide, irregular circle menacingly.  
Christian, Richard, Lance, Chelsea, Afton, Jack, William, Arthur, Beatrice, everyone was here to see the Slayer.  
Marcus and Cauis took their seats, Anthenodora and Sulpicia floating just behind them, Corin and Renata behind them protectively.  
The room settled and Aro refocused his attention on the Slayer.  
"Why have you come?" Aro asked, tilting his head. "Did you Slayers really think you could kill us?"  
The Guard chuckled around the room.  
"No Slayers, just me!" the Slayer answered. His voice was rough but his tone was confident. "And I only came to claim two of your kind as well," the Slayer explained calmly. "Well, only if you can even call them Vampires at all."  
"Speak sense, Slayer!" Aro demanded.  
"Well, on my hit list is that filth over there," the Slayer lifted his arm, pointing his finger, right at Luna, "my _niece_!" he spat.  
Luna froze, in fact everything froze. The breath left the Guard's in gasps. She felt all eyes flickering from her to this Slayer.  
Luna became aware of her body again and blinked. "What?" She managed to whisper.  
"Yes, you're my Niece, the filthy child of my Mudblood Sister. A Witch she was, and so is-"  
"Stone!"  
Everyone looked to the door, Xeno stood there, his stance rigid and his expression grim.  
Stone turned on his knees. "Cain!" he replied.  
Xeno managed to soften his expression as he drifted deeper into the room, all heads in the room following him.  
"How the devil are you?" Xeno greeted, glee tainting his tone.  
"Mr. Stone here was sharing something most interesting," Aro said softly, raising his eyebrow at Xeno.  
"Was he really?" Xeno asked, genuinely surprised. Then his expression suddenly hardened and he stalked towards the Slayer. He gripped the man's the neck roughly.  
Fletcher and two male Guards pounced on Xeno, pulling him away. The men argued and snarled, Luna watched on in horror.  
William and Lance held Xeno back, Xeno breathed heavily with his head hung.  
"I gather that you haven't told your friends what you really are, my dear Brother-in-law?" the Slayer taunted.  
Xeno glared at floor.  
Aro watched him, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Caius and Marcus leaned forwards in the chairs, the Guards looked on with wide eyes.  
"Enlighten us, Slayer," Aro drawled blankly.  
"My Sister was a Witch, a curse to my family's bloodline. She married this Wizard and continued to poison my bloodline by producing this Witch as well," he snarled, pointing at Luna. "_I_ killed my Sister. And I've been looking for these two for thirty-three years to finish the job, but they simply disappeared."  
All eyes in the room went from the Slayer, to Xeno, to Luna.  
Luna felt her world crashing down, the heavy blocks of everything that mattered to hear smashed onto the floor, breaking into tiny shards.  
Luna didn't know this man. An enemy she'd never met. As far as she knew her Mother had died in an experimenting accident. Not murder at the hands of her own _Brother_.  
'_Deny it, Dad! Please! This isn't possible! This isn't true_!' Luna tried to find her Father's eyes.  
"It's true," Xeno sighed. He looked up, projecting his voice. "The girl is not to be blamed. She knew nothing of such impurities."  
William and Lance released Xeno, dropping his arms back to his side.  
"Come, Luna," he ordered and started walking from the silent room.  
His words were only echoes inside her head, never had she felt so hollow and dizzy. She found the muscles in her limbs and pushed them forward.  
The held the brim of the hat in her fingers. She shoved it roughly to the Slayer as she passed.  
Everyone watched the Cains leave the room. Never in her life had Luna felt so defeated, so clueless, so cheated. But she was really the cheater.  
She paused at the door, her stance still straight but her head down. She turned her head to look at Alec and Jane. Her... Friends. Now she'd lost them.  
Jane watched them, her eyes sad and confused. You couldn't trust your eyes with your emotions.  
Alec's jaw was tight, his forehead furrowed and his eyes narrowed slightly as he glared thoughtfully. His eyes moved from the Slayer to the Cains.  
Beth, Hazel and Florence looked at her in disbelief. Their mouths hung as if to talk but their eyes did it for them.  
Luna quickly turned away and followed Xeno to the unknown, feeling everybody's stare boring through her back. Not even her power could deflect a blow such as this.  
The Cains disappeared, their shadows growing smaller and leaner on the walls and the clicking of their footsteps became fainter.


	27. Black Cross

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to Inkheart23 and a Guest known as 'Omg' for your reviews!**

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Black Cross

Xeno walked without haste back through the Reception. The Clock Tower was silent. Three birds dove across the Courtyard in the dark, early morning, chirping loudly.  
Luna walked quickly behind her Father, almost jogging to keep up with his long strides.  
Xeno quickly turned right at the corner, the side entrance into the Courtyard.  
He pushed open the double doors of the Training Room, the creaking echoing into the empty space.  
The pyres on the walls burned tamely, the flames licking gracefully at the air.  
Luna followed him in and waddled to the centre of the room.  
Xeno closed the doors roughly with both hands and leant there, his head down between his shoulders.  
Luna stopped and unlatched the tie on her cloak. She pulled the billowing, light grey material from her body and folding it messily.  
She tossed it away from her and onto the cold, stone floor then placed her hands onto her hips. The hard corset was under her fingers, the puff of the skirt under her palms.  
She watched the floor as she paced back and forth stiffly.  
Xeno straightened up with a deep inhale. He released the air slowly as he wiped his hand over his face and combed his fingers back through his hair.  
He dawdled over to the wall, Luna watching him, her face creased with worry.  
Xeno collapsed onto one of the stone benches against the wall. He leaned back against it, tensely.  
Luna stared into his eyes as she watched him helplessly. Xeno patted the space next to him.  
Slowly Luna drifted over, her hands gripping her hips tensely.  
She sat next to him closely and he wrapped his protective arm around her.  
"Are they going to destroy us now?" Luna whispered. The tone seemed suitable for the dead quiet of the room.  
"I don't think they will. I'll talk to them, kill Stone."  
"Talk to me first! Who is the Slayer? What really happened to... Mum? Who really was Mum?"  
"Loony, all in good time," Xeno whispered comfortingly but Luna shook her head slowly.  
"We'll never know how much time we have."  
Xeno looked down to floor again.  
"Who is the Slayer?" Luna asked again. "Is he really my... Uncle?"  
"Family isn't your blood Luna, remember that."  
"Saved to my memory. Who is the Slayer?"  
Xeno sighed. "Patrick Stone. You're Mother's older Brother."  
"He said Mum was a... Mudblood. I knew she was a child born to non-magical folk..."  
"Yes. A Mudblood in the worst situation. She was born into a family of Black Cross Slayers. Lovely surprise for them when she got her Hogwarts letter," he chuckled hollowly. "Hogwarts was her only home. She never went back to her family. They'd even tried to kill her, but her Mother smuggled her out and never saw her again."  
"Bet you were the best thing that ever happened to her," Luna smiled sadly.  
"No. You were."  
Luna couldn't speak.  
"I met in her in Hogwarts. She studied Herbology while I studied... Everything. I was very indecisive."  
"I can... Imagine," Luna said blankly.  
"We married and I finally got to change her name from Malory Stone to Malory Cain. She was finally able to forget."  
"What about Patrick Stone?"  
"The Stone family was embarrassed for producing an impurity. Patrick tracked her down to kill her. I was out but you were still there. I have no idea what happened or what was going on in your head..."  
"Lots of clever little things," Luna muttered quietly.  
Xeno's voice became fainter, echoing in her head as she remembered.

_A young girl ran through the corridor. Deeper and further she got. The hallway was dim, and round. She abruptly ran through a threshold. It was her Parent's room. It was much brighter, the sunlight streaming in through the window. She lace curtain blew gently in the wind.  
The room was quiet and peaceful, far too quiet.  
The seven year old Luna panted at the door, slowly scanning the room.  
There behind the desk, cluttered with books and cauldrons, the dark shape of a body, dark blood streaming onto the floor..._

"Patrick found out about us, wanted to kill us too. So I had to take precautions to make sure we couldn't be killed!  
"Vampires were the only creatures Black Cross couldn't kill," Xeno explained.  
"Who created you?" Luna asked.  
"It doesn't matter. I only used them to get us safe."  
"Will you tell me what happened one day? I really don't see how much older I can get!"  
"Exactly. You'll be young and immature forever."  
Luna glowered.  
"What are you going to do with Patrick?" Luna asked.  
"I want to talk to him. We'll lock him up and then we'll kill him."  
Luna nodded, standing, her hands still holding her hips rigidly.  
"Luna, you're not to speak to him."  
Luna spun round immediately. "Why not?"  
"I don't want him to hurt you."  
"Ha!" Luna laughed.  
"I mean it, Luna!"  
Luna put her palms on her forehead. "There's something else you're not telling me."  
Xeno remained silent, his lips pursed.  
"We've messed everything up. How could've we thought we could hide this? They couldn't possibly let this go!"  
Xeno stood and walked to his Daughter. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and Luna returned it, closing her eyes tightly.  
"Everything will work out fine."  
"But it'll never be the same again," Luna whispered.  
Xeno stared into the distance, acknowledging this truth.  
Luna pulled away.  
"I must go and think this over," she said, twisting the ring on her finger as she backed away.  
"Of course," Xeno answered, digging his hands into his pockets as he stood there solitarily.  
Luna pushed open the door, the sound rumbling the still air of the room. She closed it gently behind her and ran.

Night had fallen over Volterra once again. How glad Alec was that this day was gone. The Clock Tower had been silent all day, the night was no different.  
The Brothers were beside themselves. They weren't sure what to do. The Slayer had been locked in the pens and no one had seen the Cains since this morning. But they knew they were still here.  
Alec sat on the couch at the foot of his bed, just staring out the dark window. How confused and shocked he was. He always thought Luna was different, but never like this. A real Witch. And not only that, she was related to Black Cross Slayers! His friend was gone, but a friend she still was.  
But nothing could change his mind now. He'd already made his decision.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please follow or favourite and let me know what you think by reviewing!**


	28. Falling

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Falling

The fields were still cast in shadows in the early morning. The horizon was blue, the sun moments away from rising. Dark clouds filled the sky thickly, a gentle wind blowing the branches of the great Oak Tree, taking away leaves with every small gust.  
The wood groaned and wobbled as Luna watched it, standing directly underneath the thick trunk. She'd been here all night, unaware of the passing time as she thought over the events in her life that she'd dismissed with nonchalance.  
Apart from woes of the past, the worry of the future ate away at her dead heart. She tried to think it was best to leave, to go back to Ireland, but she felt tied to Volterra for a reason she couldn't identify.  
Was it the efficient and full life of routine and purpose that was satisfying, or the people here? Her warm friendship with Hazel, Beth and Fletcher, or her protectiveness and fondness for Florence, or her sympathy and affection for the Witch Twins whom she'd grown to love and genuinely care about?  
It didn't matter what she felt anymore. They'd never accept her back, no one would. All the time and careful work to make the Guard change their minds about her was gone. She told herself this over and over, as she paced and wandered back and forth across the small field, that no one here wanted her and that it was right to go back to Ireland. But yet she felt obliged to stay.  
A crack of luminous orange lined the dark landscape as the day grew older. The shade of blue became lighter and lighter; Luna continued to pace round and round the small allotment of land. The lonely trees in the vast fields were black and distinct shapes against the sky.  
Luna stood at the edge of the field and looked up the shallow hill. Past the small group of cottages, past the hedge next to it, fencing off half the land, up the little roll of hill, to the brick wall and behind that the back of the Clock Tower.  
The light orange sandstone bricks glowed in the early morning sun, the colourful glass in the domed roof of the Throne Room glinted as they caught their own beams of sunlight.  
She turned her head away from the beautiful building, the one she'd finally been able to call her home. She gripped the black ring on her finger tightly as she drifted back down to the tall Oak Tree.  
The sun was dim, its brightness muffled behind the clouds. The sky now shone a comforting Autumn peach on the Countryside, the air thick and cold with an invisible fog.  
Footsteps crunched faintly on the grass towards her, breaking and crushing the delicate, thin paper of leaves that lay on the grass under the feet.  
Luna immediately felt forlorn; she didn't know what to say, didn't know if she could handle talking, explaining herself just yet.  
Alec strolled from behind the tree casually, though his shoulders were rigid. Clad in his black, elegantly tailored coat and proper attire. The leaves littered at the base of the trunk crinkled gently under his polished shoes, the toes long.  
The two blood red rubies on the Volturi Crest glinted brightly against the dimly shining gold in the weak sun.  
Luna wracked her mind for something to say. She couldn't be causal, the situation was anything but. And to do so would show innocent ignorance and denial. There was no point hiding.  
He stood next to her, their shoulders nearly brushing. In silence they both stared absently into the brightening countryside.  
Alec inhaled. "Autumn is quite lovely in Italy, don't you think?" he commented.  
"Yes, Sir," Luna nodded, her voice just a whisper. "I'll be sorry to leave it."  
Alec looked to her.  
"Where would you go?" he asked. There was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Back to Ireland?"  
"If Xeno's order to march comes then I will go," Luna nodded, sealing her decision.  
Alec looked to the ground, then back to her. "Must you really go, Luna?"  
Luna nodded gently. "I must."  
"We've been good friends haven't we?"  
Luna turned to face him. "Yes, of course," she agreed. "But... I must go."  
"And then you'd forget me," Alec said simply.  
"How?" her voice was just a breath. "I have lived a full life here!" she continued, raising her tone. "I have not been excluded or trampled on or threatened. But it is clear that I don't belong here!  
"And I've come to know you, Alec, and it will cause me great anguish to be apart from you!  
"But I must go." There, now she'd said what she was feeling, she felt her need to stay lessen but the pain to leave greaten.  
"Why must you go?" he demanded moving closer to her.  
"I... Don't belong here."  
"You _must_ stay!" he demanded taking her wrists and keeping her near him.  
Luna called on her Apparition and moved out. She turned and walked away, pursing her lips tightly.  
Alec lunged forward and gripped her arms tightly. Luna gasped at his sudden action, and his sensory depriving mist exploded from his palms in a rough anger. It swirled around them closely, large, billowing clouds surrounding them, threatening to close in.  
"I think it has slipped your mind whose really stronger here," he stated menacingly, though the desperation in his eyes was clear.  
Luna stopped tensing and felt her arms relax, giving up.  
"Please, Luna! You must stay! You are my equal and my likeness. I need you," Alec begged, his eyes filled with longing. He lifted his hand to her chin and gripped the bone gently, tilting her head slightly so she looked him directly in the eyes. "Jane and I need you."  
Luna didn't know his much more she could take. So desperate she was to be here for him.  
Her lips kept moving, so many thoughts kept rising to the surface but weren't strong enough to become words.  
She moved her wobbly, right hand towards his face and pressed her palm gently against his cheek. She stroked the smooth skin with her thumb.  
"Alec, I want to stay, here. With you," she whispered. "I will stay," she added. She couldn't take another moment. She leaned forward and he moved closer too.  
He placed his hands on her back as she held his arm. She slid her hand down from his face and onto the back of his neck. They moved in slowly, both unsure of what to do. But when their lips met gently, instinct and passion took over.  
"I, I love you," Alec whispered.  
Luna pulled him back to her, completely confident and sure. Her heart warmed again, the parts of it returning that worry had eaten away, making her feel whole, happy and... Alive.  
What a funny feeling this was. This whole time she had been falling in love with him but hadn't realised until now. Now that she couldn't love him anymore than she already did.  
How unaware of everything they were as they stood there in each other's firm embrace. The wind gave a stronger blow, more leaves drifting away in the gust. The grey clouds, filled to their brim, began to trickle down, damping the cold morning, as if telling the two to break it up.  
Slowly it got heavier until it reached a consistent patter. A gust of wind blew the water right into them and they broke apart slowly and looked to the sky.  
Alec smiled to her again and kissed her cheek. He took her hand and began to lead her back up the field. They were fully exposed to the rain as they left the weak protection of the leaves.  
They jogged back up the hill, past the hedge and the cottages and up the steeper roll of the hill.  
The glow of the building was now gone as the weather grew miserable.  
They jumped up the stairs in the brick wall and headed to the shadow of the alley. The pattering of rain was louder on the tiled roofing of the buildings, Luna and Alec's shoes echoed on the cobble stone as they ran.  
An ear splitting crack of thunder exploded as the approached the end. The sound continued to rumble away and the rain fell heavier.  
They entered through the arch and into the shadowed building, the flames of the pyres flickering their light onto the walls. The windows of the Courtyard still offered the building an overcast, grey light.  
The rain ceased abruptly and Luna and Alec's skin was slippery with rain, the layer of water on their clothing only beginning to soak into the material, dampening it.  
They ran through the bottom floor of the building, travelling quickly, hand in hand, almost as if they were drifting. The ran down the corridor and turned right once they'd reached the farthest corridor. They past the cupboard leading to the human pens under the stairs and closer to the entrance corridor. They turned left at the staircase and Luna hopped up the first step, but Alec paused. He tugged her arm gently and she leaned back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. They kissed deeply and Alec gripped her waist securely as he pulled her back off the step. Luna felt the air around her turning. Alec spun her round in a full circle and gently the floor met Luna's feet again.  
Florence quietly walked round the corner, keeping close to wall. She leaned against it and advanced until she could see the source of commotion.  
She paused and her eyes widened in shock.  
Luna and Alec's lips moved together, the wet sound filling the room.  
"Alec!" a man called from afar.  
Alec pulled away reluctantly and poked his head around the corner. Luna lowered her hands to his shoulders, memorising the feeling as she waited for his attention to return.  
Alec sighed. "I'll see you later, my Luna." He kissed her deeply once more and then again. He didn't want to leave.  
He stroked her cheek and then drifted away, their hands still joined. Luna extended hers to its limit until their entwined fingers pulled apart. She watched him turn back round and stride down the hallway.  
She couldn't suppress the huge grin on her face. How warm and irrevocably happy she was.  
Soon a curl of light brown hair caught her eye around the corner and she saw Florence's startled face staring back at her.  
Luna only smiled at her, incapable of anything else in her dazed and dizzy mind. She turned and ran back up the stairs.  
In that one minute Florence recognised that the end was beginning for her. Florence turned back round weakly as she thought through her fate. Now with Luna not there to protect her as thoroughly as before and the younger boys failing to control themselves, she was going to die. And no one cared except her. Never so badly had she wanted to cry, had she wanted her Mum, had she felt so vulnerable and unprotected.

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to Inkheart23 and the guest for your reviews. Please let me know what you think! Thanks so much for reading!**


	29. Decisions

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Decisions

The rain patted gently outside, the drops making a rhythmic clank against the stained glass dome. The red, pink, yellow and green shards were dull and lifeless from the lack of sun. Few people occupied the dry Throne Room far below.  
Flames in their pyres flared hungrily, casting warm, flickering shadows on the stone walls. The table was set up on the right hand side of the room, the elegant candles burning tamely amongst the books.  
Felix and Demitri stood straight and unmoving on both sides of the doors.  
The light of the pyres didn't quite reach the Thrones, making the platform dull of light.  
Aro leaned back in his chair causally, his ankle on his knee. Marcus and Caius sat rigidly in their Thrones, holding the arms of the chairs.  
Aro stared down thoughtfully at Xeno, standing in front of them before the stairs.  
"You're a powerful asset, Xenophilius. I'd hate to cast you away, kill you even..." Aro said.  
"Then don't cast us off, Master. Our loyalty is completely devoted to Vampirism," Xeno begged. "We have no relation to the Wizarding World any longer."  
"Regardless, you are still divergent," Caius rebuked.  
"Please, Aro. You all know me, please don't let this change anything! We kill Patrick Stone and it will return to normal! Just spare me, Luna and I, a second chance."  
"The Volturi don't offer second chances," Caius scoffed.  
Aro looked to him, then slowly turned his head back round to the front, his eyes deep in thought.  
"You say you don't use magic anymore?"  
"No. But we still have our instruments handy."  
Aro nodded slowly, considering.  
"You're a good friend, Xenophilius. You deserve _consideration_."  
Marcus straightened in his chair stiffly. His eyes moved from side to side as if he were searching, but he was thinking, more reading. Reading the new information provided by his power. The ability to read the relationships and ties of people. Not much escaped him.  
Aro raised an eyebrow at him before turning back to Xeno.  
"We shall notify you of our decision."  
Xeno nodded once. "Thank you, Master."  
Xeno turned and walked back towards the door, his shoes echoing on the stone floor. Aro stood and watched him go. Felix and Demitri opened the Throne Room doors wide for him. He passed through them and they were immediately closed again.  
The rumbling of the heavy doors filled the room, Aro stared out at the room, his eyes distant.  
Marcus stood and came to his side, gently pressing his finger into Aro's palm. Through Aro's power, he gathered the information Marcus transferred to him through a single touch, every thought he'd ever had. Aro came across the new information Marcus had to share, a new relationship. Aro's head snapped up to meet Marcus' eyes.  
Marcus nodded slowly at Aro's bewildered expression.  
"What's happened, Brother?" Caius asked from his Throne.  
"The bond between Luna and Alec has strengthened," Marcus announced in his raspy voice, a hint of a pleased smile on his lips.  
"You mean?" Caius demanded, raising his eyebrows.  
Marcus nodded again.  
"Looks like we should keep the Cains after all," Aro murmured thoughtfully.

Author's Note: Thank you to the Guest for reviewing. Please let me know what you think! Thanks a million for reading!


	30. Indecency

**Author's Note: A quick tribute to my new follower Chocolatelover1234, thank you so much for favouriting as well. Also thank you to Inkheart23 and the Guest for your touching and inspiring reviews.**

Chapter Thirty

Indecency

The rain ceased to a fine mist as the night grew older. The castle remained shadowed by the tame pyres of fire along the walls.  
Luna's shoes tapped gently on the stone as she walked down the stairs.  
She couldn't wipe the smile off her face that reflected the fullness of her heart. But there were questions that needed to be answered before she could feel completely at peace. Why would Vampires turn someone without receiving something in return? What did Xeno do to earn Immortality?  
The castle was quiet and peaceful, the murmuring and buzz of conversation and laughter coming from various rooms.  
Luna quickly walked to the cupboard under the stairs and opened the door. There was only one person who might possibly know. The room was pitch black but she could still the shapes of cloaks on the racks and the railing of the narrow stairs. The flickering of a torch marked the bottom of them.  
She crept down them quietly, peering into the cages. All the sickly humans were sleeping or too weak to keep their eyes open, but one man sat awake in the cage closest to her.  
His back against the far wall and his elbows on his knees, Patrick watched Luna walk round the side of the cage and crouch down next to him.  
He eyed her suspiciously through the thick bars and she watched him back.  
"I have some questions for you," she began.  
"And why would I answer them?" he scoffed.  
"That depends on how willing you are to get out of here," Luna replied, raising her eyebrows.  
"You'd get me out?" Patrick couldn't help the hopeful pitch in his voice.  
"Certainly. You've done me a great kindness, saving me from the lies of my own Father. I owe it to you."  
Patrick nodded, completely bewildered. "What would you like to know?"  
"How long have you known Xeno?"  
"Heard about him after I murdered Malory, met him when he raided Black Cross."  
"Raided Black Cross? What year was this?"  
"1673, if I remember correctly."  
Luna looked down trying to remember. She was sure she was created in 1678, this was five years later. Was her Dad already gone by then?  
"Was Dad a Vampire at this time?"  
"Ah, yes. He came with another Vampire Coven. You see, at this time we had the Wizards fighting against us, and then the Vampires came and eliminated an entire Head Quarters. Xenophilius was among them. He came after me specifically."  
"I wonder why," Luna replied sarcastically.  
Patrick narrowed his eyes and gave her a sly grin.  
"Do you know this Vampire Coven?"  
"Pfft," he shrugged.  
Luna sighed thoughtfully.  
"Lost my clown suit in that fight," he sighed, shaking his head. "I managed to save my whoopie cushion though."  
Patrick dug into his jacket and pulled out a flat piece of leather.  
Luna stood suddenly and exhaled deeply, staring over the room in deep thought. Patrick tilted his head to watch her.  
Luna beamed down at him. "Thank you Patrick. You've been a great help!"  
She turned and headed towards the stairs.  
"Wait," Patrick called, jumping to his feet and stuffing the whoopie cushion back into his jacket. "Release me!"  
Luna stopped short and spun, giving him a confused look. "Sorry?"  
"You promised to release me!"  
"_Promised_ you? I don't think I ever _promised_ you. I never said I'd do it _now_ either."  
She gave him a wicked smile which looked sweet at the same time.  
Patrick stared after her as she turned and left, his mouth open and his eyes wide. He ran to the cell door and grabbed hold of the bars.  
"Let me out!" he bellowed, shaking them.  
Luna headed back up the stairs and towards the door, stepping out into the brightness of the corridor.  
"Desperation," she muttered to herself, "can make the smallest lie seem like the biggest truth."  
She felt a pang of guilt for her indecency. How evil she was becoming already. But she knew that she and Stone weren't even yet. She didn't need to be even to him, he needed to be even to her. This was just a small amount for the price he needed to pay for taking her Mother's life.

The Courtyard in front of her was dark, the moonlight giving shape to the plants and highlighting the tiny strokes of rain.  
She turned right down the passage and at the end turned left again and headed down the side corridor.  
The reception area glowed warmly, the desk still neat and unattended. She strolled to the middle of room and stood there, facing the tall, wooden doors, their dark, polished surface gleaming in the light of the flames.  
That is where her fate is being decided.  
She crossed her arms over her chest and noticed her torso filling densely with fret.  
A long shadow appeared on the wall of the left corridor. Alec's body sauntered around the corner. Immediately Luna began beaming and held out her hand to him. He smiled back and closed the gap, entwining his fingers with hers firmly. He placed his other hand on her neck and pulled her close, sealing the distance with a kiss.  
He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her middle, tucking his chin into her neck.  
Already she felt safer. She relaxed her crossed arms and rested them on top of his.  
They stood there staring at the doors, their breathing the only sound. Gently it went in and out, Luna could feel Alec's on the bare skin of her neck that wasn't covered.  
"I don't want to go," she whispered.  
Alec closed his eyes and gently kissed her neck. "Then don't," he whispered back.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think.**


	31. Seven Mortin Lane

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to AstoriaGods for favouriting and following. I'm so sorry it has been so long!**

Chapter Thirty-One

Seven Mortin Lane

"How much do I really know about you?" Alec asked, as he walked down the first floor hall, Luna's hand firmly held in his.  
Luna looked to him quizzically.  
"When I gave you my grilling inquisition, how many of your answers were true?"  
"All were true; just not detailed," she smiled.  
Grinning, he pulled her into him, then gently pinned her against the wall, her skirt swaying around their ankles in the motion.  
"Then you have a lot of explaining to do," he teased.  
He quickly stole a kiss.  
"What do you want to know then? I'll tell you anything," Luna smiled.  
"Mmm," he hummed as he nuzzled her neck. "When's you birthday?"  
"No idea," she sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head on the wall.  
"Where did you... Go to school?" He asked between kisses.  
"Can't remember," she murmured.  
"Do you remember anything?" He smirked, raising an eyebrow.  
"You're not helping me think very well," she retorted and pulled him to her again.  
"Then now's probably not a wise time to ask you how Xenophilius and yourself became Vampires?"  
"No, I haven't the foggiest," Luna replied. She opened her eyes, an idea sparking behind the lids. "But I know where I could find out."

Luna knocked on Xeno's door, which was ironically positioned right next to her own and opposite Jane. No answer came so Luna turned the smooth, golden door handle delicately. It scraped as it turned and the wooden pane creaked on its hinges as Luna pushed it open.  
The room was still filled with shadow in the early morning. The window, in the middle of the wall opposite them, showed them a very dull sky, a sliver of orange on the horizon. Through the thin curtain that drifted before it, Luna could see that Xeno looked out on the same view as she did.  
The door was in the bottom right hand corner of the room. Along the same wall was a dark, looming armoire. Hidden in the corner was the wet area, a bath tub stood on top of it.  
Along the left wall, a bed fit for two people sat in the middle of the wall. A long footstool at its foot. The room's main interior colour was red. Opposite on the right wall, was a short chest of drawers, what Luna needed.  
She left Alec at the door and headed over to them, crouching down quickly and pulling open a small door.  
"So you think your Father has written a Diary and has hidden it in his cupboard, do you?" Alec teased, leaning against the doorframe with folded arms.  
Luna narrowed her eyes. "He's had worse books than a Diary, actually," she replied as she opened the next cupboard. "There was once a book on _kittens_."  
"Kittens?"  
Luna nodded as she sorted through the jars. "I'm sure it was Mum's, though. I just like to take the Mickey out of him," she laughed.  
Alec grinned, too.  
"This is what I need," she said, pulling out a round jar.  
Alec peered at the silvery-green powder inside. "Okay. What is that?"  
"It's Floo Powder."  
"Okay. What is that?"  
"I'll show you."

Jane's room dark. No windows to let in the light the morning was bringing. A tall rectangle of light appeared before the door as Alec entered cautiously, Luna following him, clutching the jar to her.  
Ash and black logs remained in the fireplace. Alec followed Luna towards the fireplace and they crouched down before it.  
"How is this going to work?" Alec asked.  
"This powder," Luna began, holding up the jar, "will teleport us to where we need to go."  
Luna stood and gestured to the fire place. "Age before beauty."  
Alec looked to fireplace, then back to her. "Ladies first," he retorted.  
Luna Luna smirked as she arched her back and stepped over the iron boundary.  
She shuffled into the confined space, her shoes sending the ash billowing into the air. She turned and held out her hand to Alec.  
Hesitantly and carefully he stepped over the boundary, slipping his hand into hers. Luna understood his uncertainty. After his death, never again had he wanted to stand in a place of burning. He arched his back and reversed into the fireplace.  
Luna bent down to the jar and opened it. She scooped her hand inside and extracted a pile of the powder, the grains falling from the gaps in her grip and drifting to the floor.  
"Hold on to me," Luna said.  
Alec slipped his arm around her and held her tight. "You're crazy."  
"Close your eyes," she replied, taking his other hand.  
Hesitantly he closed his eyes.  
She hesitated too. She hadn't done this in so long.  
She inhaled and said clearly, "Seven Mortin Lane, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland."  
She threw the pile of sand to the floor and bright green flames erupted upon their contact. They billowed and rose around them, but it felt like a cold, strong wind. It rushed up into their eyes, and then they couldn't see anything at all.

_The maroon steam engine hissed at the platform nine and three quarters. The whistle tweeted over the crowd of students and parents.  
An eleven year old Luna stepped off the train with her bulky trunk, strands of wavy hair falling from her braided bun. Her dark, hazel eyes searched the platform for her Guardian, but she also desperately searched for her Parent.  
Finally she saw her Guardian, leaning on a pillar, her Uncle Lysander.  
He was tall and lean like her Father, but his white blonde hair was shorter. His features were older but he still shared the same cheeky look with his younger Brother, Xenophilius.  
"Hello, Loony!" he chirped.  
Luna hugged him and he returned it, stroking her hair.  
"Have you heard from Dad?" She asked, pulling away and looking at him with her dark, hopeful eyes.  
Lysander's expression fell and his voice became grave. "I'm sorry, Luna. Your Father's death has been confirmed."  
Luna's arms went limp and she just stared at him blankly as her surroundings echoed and blurred around her. The only thing pure and clear were the tears welling up on the lines of her eyes._

_Lysander and Luna appeared in the middle of the street, right in front of house number seven Mortin Lane. Luna had grown used to her Uncle's apparating ability, which allowed him to appear anywhere he wanted. Lysander started forward toward the house, carrying Luna's suitcase.  
Luna remained frozen to the place, looking at the home that had now become hers permanently. The green, unkempt garden of billowing bushes and multicoloured roses sat in front of a simple, wooden and stone built house.  
And there Luna stood._

And there Luna stood. In front of the old house. The wild garden half dead and the wooden beams rotting. The road they stood on was dusty and well worn. The neighbouring homes were still in good condition and the trees around them were tall and strong.  
The salty Irish breeze blew around them as they stood in the open and then it hit Luna; they _were_ out in the open. Away from everything, completely alone. She felt unusually strange, as if something was missing, empty inside. Like she wanted to get back as quickly as possible.  
Luna kept her gaze on the house that she hadn't seen for a very long time. Alec looked uncertainly from her to the house.  
She snapped out of her trance and smiled to him. "Let's go."  
They started towards the house. Ducking under branches and pushing past hedges, they finally made it to the front door.  
Alec politely knocked on it and Luna raised her eyebrows.  
"What?" Alec asked.  
"He's probably dead," Luna replied.  
She gripped the rusted door handle but the door was locked. She pushed on it harder and the wood crackled as it strained. The metal gave way with a snap, the door handle clunked to the floor and the door swung open to reveal a damp, dark house.  
The rooms and halls were narrow, the walls feeling mouldy. Bookcases, cabinets and couches sat cluttered around in the two rooms to their left and right. Very much like Luna's old home. A staircase sat in front of them leading up stairs, beyond it a narrow hallway. They slowly crept down it, checking the rooms on their way, but they held no people.  
The hallway ended at a Kitchen, a long table across the room and a blackened fire place behind it. A hole in the roof gave the room some light.  
Alec and Luna relaxed.  
"What do we look for?" he asked.  
"Um, check through any papers, things related to Black Cross. He may have something in his study," Luna suggested.  
"I'll look here," Alec said, as he walked towards a large glass cabinet.  
Luna retreated down the hall to one of the rooms they passed.  
The glass cabinet was next to the fireplace. Alec opened the doors and parchment rained down on him. Sighing he scooped it back up and began shuffling.  
A sharp snap sounded from behind him, in a small broom closest on the other side of the room.  
Alec turned towards it, eyeing the cupboard suspiciously.  
A muffled scratching and knocking came from inside.  
"Luna!" Alec called.  
Luna appeared back at the doorway. "What was that?"  
Alec pointed to the cupboard and a knocking sounded again. Then a crash.  
Luna walked in front of it and Alec stood behind her, palms out and ready.  
'_Miss Cain! Miss Cain, why do you speak to the air?_' A familiar voice echoed around her head.  
She reached for the handle slowly, then quickly yanked it open.  
An old broom drifted out and smacked onto the floor. A little, but old house elf stood only a foot tall, his hair white and wispy, his skin baggy and wrinkled. But Luna recognised those eyes.  
"Taildoe!"

Taildoe perched on the dining table and Luna handed him a cup of water.  
"What happened to you?"  
"It's called age. I believe you Vampires aren't accustomed to it," he replied, taking a sip.  
Luna glowered. "No, you were there before I was created, then afterwards you'd disappeared..."  
"I came back here. Then went with Master to his new home."  
"To his new home? Uncle Lys is still alive?"  
"Well, Santa Claus's still alive, so I guess anything's possible."  
Luna looked to Alec. He stood next to her with his arms folded.  
"How did you know we were here?" he asked.  
Taildoe paused. "Who is this guy anyway?"  
"Taildoe, this is Alec, Alec, this is Taildoe, Uncle Lys' house elf. So how did you know we were here?"  
"Why! You summoned me of course!"  
"Summoned you? How did I do that?"  
"House elves have an interesting tie to their Masters. Whether you need help, we help you. You need to find Master Cain, do you not?"  
"You can take us to him?"  
"Of course!"  
Taildoe hopped off the table and stood between them, offering them his hands.


	32. Unexpected Guests

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to NinjaKittyx3 for following and favouriting and to Noobsaibot1983 for favouriting. And to Inkheart123, Leon and the Guest for your reviews!**

Chapter Thirty-Two

Unexpected Guests

The first thing they felt was the light rain gently tickling their skin, the air was heavy and damp around them. Luna opened her eyes and from the first blurry sliver she could see green.  
The forest around them was tall, dense and very green. The plants were full and alive, fluffy moss covering the trunks of the trees and the bulky boulders.  
The dirt path they stood on was only a few metres wide, the dirt darkened and sticky from rain.  
Luna eyed each detail of the tall iron gate in front of them, the elegant swirls intertwining and the grey pillars attached to their hinges. But unmistakable, on the shining, black iron was the 'B' and 'C' welded in the middle.  
Luna flinched back, grasping Alec protectively.  
"Taildoe, what is this?" she demanded.  
Alec eyed the gate wearily.  
"I'm sorry, Miss Cain! It's not what it looks like," Taildoe gushed.  
Luna glared at the gate, "How so?"  
"This is a fallen Head Quarters of Black Cross. Wizards inhabit it now."  
Luna looked from the gate to Taildoe.  
"Master will explain," Taildoe continued. "Please, believe me."  
Luna lifted her head higher and relaxed her shoulders.  
"Let me open it," Taildoe murmured as he backed away.  
"No need," Luna said, walking forward.  
She took Alec's hand and offered her other to Taildoe.  
He looked at it and flexed his fingers warily.

Looking at Luna uncertainly, Taildoe approached the gate with the Vampires. He slowed as it came closer and lifted his arm. He braced to feel the cold iron press against his palm but it met nothing. He could see his body appearing on the other side. He noticed how damp he felt as he passed through the gate, as if his world were water.  
Then they were on the other side and Luna let go.

The path turned a corner and filling a clearing of trees was a monstrous, white mansion. The trees surrounding it where tall willows, the leaves concealing their trunks in long vines.  
The path ended at a large stairwell, leading up to the front door.  
Black iron welding decorated the columns and the windows, which evenly lined the building's two floors. The roof was sloped to a point and was tiled in black.  
The vines and moss had moved from the trees to the house, wrapping themselves and covering the walls and columns.  
The sun brightened warmly through the gap in the trees, the drops of moisture on the leaves and the house glistening and the dust mites floating visibly. Alec and Luna remained protected underneath a large tree as they admired the mansion with wide eyes.  
"It's quite impressive isn't it?" Taildoe asked, rubbing his hands together.  
"Most," Luna smiled as she and Alec turned back round to face him.  
"T'was quite a dark and lifeless place when Black Cross were here, then it brightened as if the Witches and Wizards were the Sun themselves," Taildoe chuckled.  
"Luna Cain," a man's voice gasped.  
Luna spun around to see an old, yet healthy man approaching the shade. His hair met his chin sharply and was highlighted darkly with grey.  
A short, yet thick, salt and pepper beard covered his face. His nose was knobbly but his features had the smug and cheeky edge. He smiled at her with bright hazel eyes.  
"Uncle Lys," Luna laughed as she ran to him.  
They embraced tightly, eyes shut as equally.  
Lysander's stance changed as he noticed how solid she was and how cold. He opened his eyes slowly as he remembered how her face had looked only moments before, how young and timeless.  
He pulled her away quickly and Luna didn't resist.  
He looked into her blood red irises and stepped away, dropping his hands to his sides tensely.  
Luna's shoulders slumped and she felt her features furrow in helplessness.  
"Lysander..." she trailed off.  
"I'm sorry," Lysander croaked. "I don't know what I expected."

The double doors squeaked loudly as they opened, a long rectangle of light appearing on the floor.  
Lysander held the door open for his company, Luna and Alec cautiously stepping inside and the top of Taildoe's head bobbing as he walked.  
Despite the floor being carpeted in a rough, deep purple rug, their footsteps still echoed around the large entrance.  
A lavish crystal chandelier glinted as it hung from the high roof. A grand staircase stuck close to the right wall, turning left at the corner and continuing up to the next floor. Its banisters were polished wood and tightly fitted, a purple rug hugged the steps all the way up.  
Two large archways sat to their left and right, opening onto two other large rooms.  
Luna's surroundings made her feel warm inside. This is what a classic Wizard's house would be. The bold colours and the interesting trinkets laying on cabinets and shelves.  
"Taildoe," Lysander began, closing the front door. "Would you mind to show our Guests around?I'll be back later."  
"Of course, Master," Taildoe answered, but Lysander was already running up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

The other inhabitants of the old Black Cross Head Quarters gathered into the Dining Hall. The room was bright and spacious, a long, wooden table running down the centre. The windows were tall and arched, delicate, soft blue drapes floated gently in their wind.  
Witches and Wizards, young and old filled the room, other House-Elves joining them.  
Lysander saw his girlfriend and gave her a sheepish wave.  
She glared at him. He was always doing stupid things and she knew this would be nothing good.  
Lysander didn't care much about marriage when he was younger, but even at seventy-six years young he didn't care.  
Francesca was only a few years younger than he. Although her face was now wrinkled, her hair was still a brilliant red. Her features and face were thin and her eyes were a pale blue.  
"What have you done now, you imbecile?" she snapped as she stood next to him.  
Lysander smiled. Old age could never perish her fire.  
"Frankie, my dear!" he cooed, then quickly muttered, "Nothing serious."  
Francesca rolled her eyes as she inhaled deeply, stepping to the side.  
"Excuse me, my good people!" Lysander called.  
The conversations ceased and all turned to face him. Some leaning on the walls and others on the chairs and table.  
"Um... How do I translate this to words, eh?" he bluffed.  
A few members in the crowd sighed and shuffled.  
"Out with it, Lys." a young man said flatly.  
"Okay, I thought it would be good of me... To inform you of... Some... Company that is currently here. I do not yet know how long they shall be with us but if you come across them, you have my permission to ignore them," he said slowly.  
"Why would we ignore them?" A man asked.  
"Ah! Fabian what a lovely question that is!" Lysander chuckled.  
Fabian stared back at him blankly and Lysander straightened up.  
"I say I run this facility, so I'm in my rights to accommodate whoever I like. Especially when they're... Family. And you may find them difficult to like because they're Vampires..."  
"WHAT!" Half a dozen people shouted before a chorus of talking started up.  
"She is still my Niece!" Lysander shouted and the noise died down a bit. "And she is still one of us. She is still a Witch no matter what."  
"What is her discipline?" A man called.  
Lysander sighed and sagged. "Necromancy."  
The shouting started again.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading. Please review, follow or favourite.**


	33. The Stone Family Tree

Chapter Thirty-Three

The Stone Family Tree

At the back of the mansion was a large room, very much like the shape of the Throne Room back at Volterra, and the thought sent another urge sweeping through Luna and Alec, the urge to return. The back wall had wooden, white panes running in arches across it, windows fitted into the slots. The glass continued up to the dome ceiling where the sun shone brightly.  
Luna stepped into a beam of light and her hand began to shimmer. The entire room was filled with plants. Two tall trees claimed their sides of the room, they were willows, just like outside. All types of ferns and flowers grew around them. There was an attempt at separate garden bedding, but the plants had half grown over the floor. From what was still visible, the ground was a rough, dark brick.  
Along the back of the room fruit trees lined up in a long row, their branches heavy with apples, lemons and mandarins.  
Alec and Luna ducked under low branches as the followed Taildoe through the Greenhouse.  
"How is this possible?" Alec breathed, the corners of his mouth tugging up.  
Something interesting caught Luna's eye and she wandered over to the walls.  
"You know what this is, don't you Miss Cain?" Taildoe smiled to Luna.  
Luna nodded. "It's magic."  
She studied the objects on the walls carefully. Crossbows, axes and swords hung evenly around the room. They had rusted, the gold fading and vines had wrapped around their handles and strings.  
"This used to be some type of Training Room," Taildoe said, noting the weapons on the walls.  
"Why didn't you remove the weapons?"  
"We thought they would be lovely wall decorations," Taildoe answered.  
Luna nodded slowly.  
"Just joking. We can't actually touch them," Taildoe sighed.  
Luna took a step back. "They're pure, aren't they?"  
"Pure?" Alec asked.  
"They're weapons of God," Luna explained, walking back to them. "They'd burn us Sinners if we laid a hand upon them."  
She linked her arm with Alec's.  
"Variations of the Devil," Taildoe nodded.  
They stood in silence for a moment before they snapped their heads to the right. Lysander stepped out from behind a large tree, sticking to the wall.  
He stopped in front of a pair of dark, double doors and opened them. He waved his arm.  
"Come, Luna," he said welcomingly.  
Luna gave Alec a reassuring look and patted his arm before leaving his side.  
Alec watched her, with his arms folded as she crossed them room and disappeared into the dark room. Lysander stepped in after her and closed the door.  
Alec stood in silence with the nervous House-Elf.  
"So how does this work, with magic?" Alec asked, genuinely interested.  
Taildoe relaxed and began explaining gladly.

The dark room was quite small, a comfortable bedroom size with no furniture at all. A tall candle lamp stood in one corner, Lysander clicked and a flame sparked in his hand. He clenched his fist then flexed his fingers out, tiny flames now burning lightly on the tips. He touched each finger to the candles and they held a delicate flame.  
The room began to lighten with each light added. Lysander shook the flame off his hand and walked back to Luna.  
"I love what you've done with the house," Luna smiled, trying to ease the uncomfortable tension between them.  
"Thank you," Lysander grinned. "We've changed most of the rooms, as you have seen, to suit our needs. But this is the only room we left."  
Lysander caressed the smooth wall, and only then did Luna pay attention to the patterned wallpaper. The background was a mouldy gold, a thick tree trunk spurted from the bottom of the wall, its branches were painted up and up, becoming smaller and smaller as they connected and grew all around the four walls of the square room. Among the tiny, wilted leaves on the branches were portraits of heads, their names floating underneath.  
Luna's eyes grazed along the wall, skimming over all the faces. She stepped over to the next wall and came across a black gaping hole, punched into the wall where someone's picture had been.  
Luna furrowed her eyebrows.  
"Traitors and cowards were immediately banished and then forgotten," Lysander sighed, floating to her side.  
He touched her arm gently, "Come this way."  
They drifted to the next wall and Lysander lifted his hand up and tenderly brushed it over another punctured hole. The edges were black and frayed.  
"This was... Your Mother's portrait."  
Luna's eyes widened and she looked intently at the branch. Along it was another portrait. This young man had wavy blonde hair, his features were stern and his eyes bright green. Luna wasn't surprised when she read the name beneath it: _Patrick Stone_.  
She traced the branch back up to their parents: _Desmond Stone_ and his wife _Sirsha Stone - nee Byrne_.  
"This is the Stone family tree. This family ran this Head Quarters and raised generations of children here to become Hunters. Your Mother grew up here. This was her home."  
"This was never her home," Luna whispered. "She never belonged here."  
"Blood is never family," he agreed. "But have a look here."  
They walked back to the previous punctured portrait.  
"Mudbloods are never one in a family, magic runs through certain families, but always skips generations.  
"Asking for trouble, being born into Demon Hunters, if you ask me," Lysander mumbled.  
Luna smiled lightly.  
"Your Mum was a pure person. Never had I met anyone with an imperishable sense of optimism and hope. It's good to see you're holding on to her, wearing her Wedding ring."  
Luna looked to him quickly. "What?" she whispered.  
Lysander took her cold hand and ran his thumb over the equally cold ring.  
"This was your Mother's Wedding ring. You didn't know that either?"  
"I knew it was her's," Luna replied.  
"How much do you know?"  
"Apparently... Not a real lot. I just need your help. I don't know why, I don't know _what_ I am. I'm... Confused."  
Lysander enclosed her hand in both of his. "I'll endeavour to help you, with all my heart. In exchange for answers of my own?"  
Luna inhaled as she raised her head higher.

Luna and Alec faced each other from opposite ends of the table. Lysander sat closely next to her.  
"How long have you lived here?" Luna asked.  
"This place is more like a trophy than anything else," Lysander replied, looking to the roof. "The Wizards and Witches took over this place in the Devil's War, you've heard of this?"  
"Yes," Alec replied suddenly.  
Luna tilted her head.  
"The war where Supernatural Creatures fought back against Black Cross all around the world?The Vampires were involved in this too?" He said uncertainly.  
"Right you are, my boy," Lysander nodded. "The Wizards and Witches in Ireland fought to take down his place, while a Irish _Vampire_ coven fought to take over _another_ Head Quarters.  
"They succeeded, and they live in their castle like we do here. They are your Father's creators."  
"Dad joined their army?"  
"Yes, he offered them his life just to kill Patrick Stone. The Vampires were unstoppable. But also he became a wanted felon among the Ministry for betraying Wizards and Witches alike.  
"That's why I was proud to take over this place; to give something good back to the Cain name."  
"So the time I lived with you, you were fighting in the Devil's War?"  
"Yes... That might of been a bit irresponsible, but you had Taildoe to look after you."  
The double doors were pushed open noisily and an ageing woman entered. Her hair was bright red and she looked down her long nose at the Vampires with her cold blue eyes.  
"Ah! I thought I could feel the unsettling, dead energy of a Necromancer," she drawled.  
All three stood up uncomfortably. Alec clenched his fists, he already didn't like this woman.  
"So you're the Daughter of the Traitor," she snarled, walking forward.  
"Now Frankie, lets keep this civilised," Lysander warned.  
"I am perfectly capable of being civilised, Lysander Cain. These creatures however, are killers. They are the true variations of the Devil, and they'll go straight to Hell."  
"First-class ticket," Luna sneered.  
Frankie smirked and sauntered towards her with crossed arms.  
"It never mattered much for you to become a Blood Sucker, you were already damned to Hell."  
"Don't talk to my niece that way, Francesca," Lysander said sternly.  
"That's not your niece. Your Niece is a forty-five year old woman."  
"She's standing right there."  
"No, that's her body. Your Niece is dead."  
Suddenly she grabbed at the cold hand that grasped her neck. She watched the boy with wide eyes as she scratched at his fist, but how much can you do to stone?  
"She's more alive than you'll be in a moment," he snarled.  
"Alec, please let her go," Luna said calmly. "She's not worth anything."  
Alec took his hand away from her neck and stepped back to Luna. He slipped his arm around her and held her close.  
"I suggest you get rid of them soon, Lysander," she muttered hoarsely as she backed out of the room. "Before the Dementors arrive at least."a smile tugged at her mouth.  
"You alerted the Ministry?" Lysander demanded.  
"It was a group decision. It's a wanted felon anyway," she shrugged stiffly as she backed away.  
"Francesca!"  
She slammed the doors shut behind her.  
"Alright how did you two get here?" Lysander asked urgently, resting his palms on the table.  
"The Floo Network," Luna answered.  
"Come with me," Lysander demanded.  
He strode from the room. Luna took Alec's arm and they followed him.  
Lysander passed each room of the long, dark hall quickly. He pushed open double doors at end and they entered a large, comfortable living room. Polished cabinets and red, cushioned couches laid about and thick, red curtains were tied at the sides of the thin windows, letting in rectangles of light. A tall, stone fireplace sat to the right of the room, one specifically built for the Floo Network.  
Lysander turned to face Luna, taking both of her arms.  
"There is light and darkness inside all of us. It is our choices that show who we truly are far more than our abilities. You remember that."  
He kissed her forehead. The room temperature dropped suddenly, the chill prickling their skin. Lysander's warm, living breath came out in a thick fog as the room became darker and more shadowed.  
They looked to the windows and saw a teared piece of ragged, black cloth drift past, leaving ice covering the glass; very much like Fletcher's power.  
Lysander turned back to Luna. "Say 'hello' to your Father for me."  
He reached for the side of the fireplace and took a pot from its holder. In it the silvery-green dust of Floo Powder.  
Luna reached out to take it, then the glass of the windows creaked and shattered in a smash, the shards falling into the room. The furniture flew against the wall in a crash and Lysander jumped out of the path of a couch. The Floo Powder scattered along the floor.  
Luna's ears pricked as she heard footsteps approaching from outside the door. She lifted her hand and glanced at her ring, her Mother's _Wedding_ ring, ice cold on her finger. She curled her fingers weakly as she held her hand out towards the wall. Alec watched her warily.  
Suddenly the shadows on the wall began to move. They waved and wobbled as if they were water, and Luna flicked it to the door. A tentacle of shadow whipped around the door handle and secured it.  
Satisfied, Luna bent down to scoop up a handful of the Floo Powder. Lysander pushed them into the fireplace and Luna said their location.  
"The Volterra Clock Tower, Italy."  
She threw the dust to the floor.  
The Dementors floated through the broken windows, their large, skeletal hands the only part visible beneath the black veil that covered their bony figures completely.  
The fireplace lit up in a green flash and the flames billowed around them, the roaring of wind loud in their ears.  
The Dementors swarmed towards them and Lysander flinched back. Luna wasn't aware that she'd made the decision, but she reached her arm through the flames and grabbed his wrist, pulling him backwards into the green flames. The flames blew around them all and then the fire abruptly ceased, the room darkening. They were gone.

**Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please let me know your thoughts.**


	34. Problems and Some Resolutions

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to rockmysock88 for following.**

Chapter Thirty-Four

Problems and Some Resolutions

Jane watched the struggling fire burn at the blackened wood in the Common Room fireplace. It crackled lightly as it clung onto its fuel and life in a weak, deep orange haze, the ashes and coals glowing with a singeing red.  
She was quite bored sitting in the Common Room alone. She didn't like it. It was a reminder that Alec was the only one she could talk to. Though she preferred to be feared than loved. How power was so addictive and intoxicating. She'd searched for Alec this morning around the Tower, but she couldn't find him. Aro had probably sent him a quick errand.  
Suddenly the flames erupted with a roar of wind and a flash of green light. Jane leaped to her feet. Figures emerged from the flame and out of the fireplace, stumbling into the room.  
Then the green flames vanished without a trace and the calm fire was visible again. The motion reminded Jane of a Cat having a hissing fit then suddenly dropping and licking its paws.  
Jane stared at the new company with wide eyes that made her look innocent and childish.  
"Jane! Hi!" Alec greeted, gathering a sense of his surroundings.  
Jane, and the few other Guards in the room, just stared at them. Once they got over the fact that their coven mates had just jumped out of a green fire, they turned their attention to Lysander.  
"Alec!" Jane found her voice. "What..." She lost it again.  
Alec searched his mind for a believable answer. "Magic!" He said quickly.  
Jane raised an incredulous eyebrow.  
"Surprise," Luna muttered.  
"Who is this?" Jane asked, gesturing to Lysander.  
"This is my Uncle, Lysander Cain," Luna introduced.  
"He's Human."  
"He's alive, yes," Luna corrected.  
"He shouldn't be here," Jane said lowly.  
"No, I shouldn't," Lysander agreed looking at Luna.  
"We have to tell Master," Jane said.  
"No, you shouldn't," Lysander disagreed, looking to Jane. But she was already walking away.  
"Why did you bring me?" Lysander asked.  
"You would've been arrested," Luna answered.  
"A girl who acts with her heart instead of her brain. You truly are an imbecile. Therefore you're truly your Father's Daughter," Lysander sighed.  
The doors opened suddenly, light flooding into the dim room. Xenophilius Cain's figure stood tall in the doorframe.  
Lysander and Luna braced for a stupid comment and Jane stopped in her tracks.  
Xeno remained frozen as he stared at his Brother.  
"Your timing is impeccable, Father," Luna said.  
"Don't worry, Miss Jane. I'll take care of this," Xeno assured her guiding her back into the room.  
Jane floated back to Alec's side as they all watched Xeno stride purposefully to his Brother.  
He pursed his lips and held out a strong hand. Lysander shook it, lips thin and eyes wary.  
"What are you doing here?" Xeno finally asked.  
"I brought him back," Luna answered instead.  
"Why?"  
"We went out to find him, but the Dementors came, he would've been arrested if we left him."  
"We? Who's we?"  
The doors to the Common Room burst open again and three figures appeared in the doorway. Xeno spun round in alarm.  
"Ah! Alec and Luna! We've been wondering where you had disappeared these last few hours. And you've brought a guest back as well," Aro sighed in delight.  
"I hope you don't mind," Caius snarled from Aro's right, "but we've brought a guest of our own."  
Felix and Demitri pulled Patrick Stone into the room after them.

The small table was pulled out from in between the couches, opening the space a little. Lysander remained tense in front of the fireplace with his Brother leaning onto the mantel next to him.  
Jane sat at the end of the couch to the right and Luna opposite her, Alec hovering just behind her, keeping a watchful eye on her tense body, Luna's eyes fixated on the carpet.  
Patrick Stone stood to the left, his arms crossed.  
Aro, Marcus and Caius had pulled up chairs, looking down on the group, Felix and Demitri flanking them protectively.  
Various Guards stood around the room.  
The ticking clock above the mantel was too loud, thudding harder in Luna's ears than the steady heart beats of her elderly Uncles.  
"Xenophilius Cain," Aro's velvety voice broke the silence clearly. "I want to know... Just who are you exactly?"  
Xeno looked slowly towards his Masters.  
"I am a pure blood Wizard," he shrugged stiffly.  
"What was your exact position in the... Wizarding World?"  
"I used to work for the Ministry of Magic, I was married to Malory Stone before she was murdered. During the The Devil's War I changed sides from the Wizards to the Vampires because I thought I had a better chance at getting to Patrick Stone here, my Wife's Murderer."  
"And you failed to do so," Caius said, gesturing towards Patrick.  
"Obviously," Xeno growled quietly. "After five years the Wizards and Vampires managed to take down both Head Quarters in Ireland and I returned home and created my Daughter."  
"Abominating her even further," Patrick snarled quietly.  
Luna glared at him.  
"And where do you come into this?" Aro asked, turning his attention to Patrick.  
"I didn't know my Sister was married, or even had a Child. I spent thirty years tracking these two after Xenophilius introduced himself to me all those years ago. Of course it was a race against the Ministry of Magic. They had a bounty on your head as well.  
"But Vampirism doesn't matter does it?" Patrick taunted, walking forward. "We, all of us here, were born different from you. It's in out blood."  
Alec gripped Luna's shoulder comfortingly.  
Xeno glared at the floor, the mantel piece he was holding splintered ever so slightly.  
"And nothing you do will _ever_ change that."  
Xeno roared as he leaped on Patrick and grabbed his neck. Patrick tried to back away but Xeno was too fast. His hands encircled his neck. Luna jumped up to intervene but then heard the sickening crack. Patrick went limp and everything slowed as he collapsed and crumpled to the floor. Everyone froze, nobody spoke, Luna covered her mouth with both of her hands.  
Xeno suddenly calmed, staring at his empty hands in shock. He felt the tension leave his body. After more than Thirty years, revenge had finally been delivered.  
He swallowed, but couldn't keep the small grin from his face.  
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just... Lost my control."  
Alec wrapped his arm around Luna and pulled her weak form to him. Jane's eyebrows furrowed.  
Luna wasn't weak with sadness, she was paralysed with shock and happiness.  
Xeno cleared his throat. "It's probably best we Cains leave. For good," he rambled as he shakily stood over the corpse.  
He slowly stepped to where Patrick stood only moments before. "Come Luna, Lysander."  
Lysander didn't flinch and Luna dropped back down to the couch.  
Xeno turned back to his Daughter. "Luna? Come on. I'm so sorry. We'll go back to how things were before. Just you and me? We won't need anybody else."  
Luna's head drooped further. Alec took her hand firmly and held it at her shoulder. Xeno tilted his head sternly. Jane narrowed her eyes.  
"You're wrong," Alec said clearly, keeping his eyes on Luna. She caressed his hand with her thumb as she closed her eyes lightly.  
"She loves you," Alec murmured, "but she's in love with me, too," he said louder, looking to Xeno. "And I love her."  
Xeno inhaled sharply, then thrust his hand out. Ripples shot out of his palm and the couch from the corner lounge shot forward. Luna jumped up and the Couch automatically passed through them. Jane jumped off hers as it crashed into it.  
Xeno stared at his hand. Never before had he been able to physically see his power. Suddenly a stack of black shadows smashed into him, taking him off his feet and flipping him over the long, dining table. Xeno landed in an elegant crouch.  
Luna lowered her hand and the shadows around the room settled. She wrapped her arm around Alec and lifted her ring finger sternly at Xeno as he stood slowly from the other side of the table.  
"Leave him," she snarled. But she suddenly gasped and collapsed as fire ripped through every cell in her body. She'd felt this before. Jane.  
Xeno thrust his hand out again, the air rippled and Jane shot backwards. Alec jumped over the table and took Xeno down. Luna blurred to their side and grabbed hold of Xeno's shoulder just as Alec's punch swiped through him. Felix and Demitri joined her. Felix wrenched Xeno's arms behind his back and pulled him away. Demitri pulled Alec's arms behind his back and hooked his arm through them, his other hand securing his neck.  
Jane ran back and Luna ducked behind her and clasped her hand over her eyes, holding her arms down as she struggled.  
Aro held out his arms and shushed them.  
Lysander shook his head and muttered something to the sky.  
"Luna, please release Jane," Aro asked gently.  
Luna slowly released the pressure and brought her arms away. Jane didn't attempt to turn around. She kept her broken gaze on Alec.  
"Alec, why?" She whispered, walking towards him. "You said we'd never need anyone. You promised me that it would always just be us. Love means nothing to us."  
"I'm sorry, Jane," Alec sighed. "I didn't realise she was the piece that was missing."  
Jane inhaled deeply, then walked out the doors. Aro wagged his fingers down and Demitri and Felix released their holds on Alec and Xeno. They glared at each other.  
"Well, Congratulations Xeno and Luna, you are nasty buggers and I've decided to keep you in the Guard," Aro announced, back to his chirpy self. "As for you... Breather," Aro continued, turning back to Lysander who still stood at the fireplace, "you may stay in Volterra if you wish.  
"Right, that's all!" he finished, clapping his hands together.  
Marcus and Caius followed him out of the room. Marcus lightly pulled Alec along with him but Xeno grabbed his shoulder roughly first.  
"Keep your hands _off_ my Daughter," he snarled.  
Alec shook him off, without an answer.  
Felix and Demitri smirked as they left, Alec drifting out after them.  
Xeno looked to Luna and sighed sadly.  
Luna ran out the door after them. She caught Alec's arm and pulled him to her. He held her tightly as he kissed her and Xeno threw his arms up in exasperation.  
"Thank you," Luna whispered, "for everything."


	35. The Blue Moon

**Author's Note: Thanks to Inkheart23 once again for your review. Enjoy!**

Chapter Thirty-Five

The Blue Moon

Felix and Demitri watched the corpse of Patrick Stone burn, blacken and multiply into thousands of pieces and fall through the grail underneath it. The flames were bright and powerful as they roamed over the body, feeding off the clothes and charring the flesh.  
Demitri never favoured the odour of burning flesh, though the scent of blood hung in the air much heavier than the stench of flesh. He watched the fire distastefully through the haze of heat. The smoke billowed up to the stained glass, the thick heat travelling around the room, leaving a damp humidity.  
Soon the body was unrecognisable and practically completely gone.

The Italian morning was cold and weak. The sun a bright orb in the sky. The frost covering the leaves of the courtyard's bushes and roses sparkled brightly, but not quite as beautifully as the Vampires' skin. Luna's hands and face glinted dully as the wispy fog put a barrier between the Sun and the Earth.  
Luna's fingers fiddled with a tiny, pink rose bud while she gazed lovingly up at Alec, a wide smile covering her face. He spoke to her gently, grinning as well, as he stood right in front of her, running his thumb along her jawline. He reached behind her and pulled a brand new rose from the tree, its petals still stiff and hunched. He tucked it into her hair and she quickly stole a gentle kiss.  
Marcus watched the two from his bedroom window, high up on the third floor. There were only three luxurious rooms on the third floor belonging to Aro, Marcus and Caius. Like the Thrones, Marcus was on the left. Outside their rooms was a metal, spiralling staircase leading up to where their wives lived - all the time.  
See, Marcus had a wife once. Once. She had died a long time ago, the killer still unknown to him and forever he had lived in confusion and sadness. His Didyme had been his sun. Everything revolved and gravitated around her. With her he used to walk around the halls of this tower and nothing could make him happier. Except leaving. But she was dead before they had the chance.  
The bond between Luna and Alec had been gradually strengthening ever since they met. With every encounter it grew thicker and stronger, and Marcus knew that is was only going to get fiercer and stronger till the point of obsession. When love will blind them. How very much they reminded Marcus of himself and Didyme.  
He watched the young couple as they stood smiling in each other's embrace. Never did Marcus expect to see Alec care about someone as much as his Sister. Not even Aro matched to Jane. But he could understand what Alec needed. Her happiness was drawing him in. With every smile, every look and every word she was intoxicating him further. She was his light in his darkness, the moon of his night. But nothing quite as common as a moon. She was... Different and rare. Just like a Blue Moon.

A pair of sparrows swooped through the tall alley above Lysander as he made his merry way through the shadow of the Clock Tower. His living breath came out in clouds and his skin prickled with cold under his deep purple suit. He kept one hand stuffed into his pocket while the other swung by his side, parchment enclosed in his grip. He had the urge to look up at the building, the eerie feeling that they were watching him as he passed. They probably expected him to be gone.  
He welcomed the warm sunlight as he stepped out of the alley and basked in its glow. He hopped down the small hill, where a tall green hedge stood in his way. He could see the tall, complex branches of a great oak tree from the field behind the hedge. He walked to the left of it. The hedge ended and in front of Lysander were five cottages in a small complex.  
They sat in a little circle, a cobble stone courtyard connecting them all. There was no house to the right, only one sitting in the back corner, from there the cottages swept round to the one that had its back to Lysander on the left.  
He strolled through the circle towards his new house, the one that sat in the back corner. A thick row of trees and bushes separated the Cottages from the field next to it.  
The gardens of the cottages were neat and well looked after; all the plants of roses and tulips were full and healthy. Lysander suspected he had neighbours.  
A tree sat out the front of his cottage, a white bench wrapped around its trunk. Lysander ducked under the thick rose bush that grew across his veranda. He fished the key out of his pocket, still feeling the sensation of being watched though it was less imposing. He unlocked the door and stepped inside.  
The house was rather shadowed from the trees outside, but these shadows weren't dark and mysterious. The sun that filtered through brought a sort of green hue.  
Lysander was looking down a wide hallway. On the right wall a narrow staircase led up to the room upstairs. Directly next to him on the same wall was an arch way that flowed into a small kitchen. All the cupboards and the sink were along the wall, above it a long window looking out the front of the house. Opposite was another arch way leading into a small space for a round dining table. Beyond it, another archway opened up to a lounge room. A fireplace sat in the middle of the right wall, couches and arm chairs surrounded a small table in front of it.  
Shelves lined the opposite wall and an archway led back into the hallway at the end. There was a double set of glass doors at the end of the room leading onto a big porch. A thin line of trees bordered it and the rows of the vineyards could be faintly seen.  
Lysander looked around the house in satisfaction. He knew he could be happy to spend the rest of his life living quietly in the countryside of Italy. And he was best at rising to the occasion.

**Author's Note: Please let me know what you think.**


	36. The Wrath of Jane

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to the mysterious 'Guest' for their review. Your wish is my command!**

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Wrath of Jane

Jane kept her head held high as she knocked loudly on the Throne Room door. Though the heaviness of them, they glided open smoothly for her.  
Demitri and Felix bowed their heads as she walked through, their clenched jaws and loathing eyes on the floor. Jane strode purposefully towards the Brothers at the table.  
"Excuse me, Master," Jane began in her soft, calm voice, though there was no denying the bubbling anger boiling inside her.  
Aro knew what was coming and he didn't blame her. "Yes, dearest one," he answered turning round to face her.  
"I'd like you to reconsider your decision to keep the Cains in the Volturi."  
Aro sighed warmly. "Jane... I know this is hard for you. But I made the right decision for the whole success of the Volturi. I will do anything for you to make you happier."  
"Lovely. Kill Luna Cain."  
"Anything... Except that. The Cains will never leave the Volturi. If we didn't need them any longer we would kill them. Their powers are too valuable to fall into the clutches of other covens.  
"Don't you see how perfectly this works out? The bond of Mates never ends, never wavers and never fades. Luna now being Alec's Mate, she will protect him with her life, and also you. You two will be untouchable."  
"Mates," Jane scoffed. "Don't you see how perfectly this works out _for her_? Alec and I are the only ones that can kill her, and now she's got him wrapped around her finger!"  
"Hmm, how lucky for her," Aro murmured happily.  
Jane exhaled angrily. "How do you know she'll protect _me_ with her life?"  
"Because I've seen it," Marcus finally spoke up in his whispery voice that had no life.  
Caius sat in his chair and skimmed over the book in his lap indifferently as if nothing was happening. He'd grown rather tired of Jane's complaints and arguments over the centuries.  
"The bond from her to you is one of strong friendship and protection," Marcus assured.  
Jane's eyes widened. "What's the bond between from me to her?"  
"One of pure hatred."  
Jane relaxed and nodded in satisfaction.  
Aro smiled gratefully to Marcus. "Please try to understand Jane. Have you spoken to your Brother yet?"  
Jane paused. "No."  
"There you go. Any other arguments on this debate?"  
"They're not proper Vampires. They're an abomination. An embarrassment to the Volturi."  
"She has a point," Caius agreed.  
"They have chosen the life of Vampires and all magic traits are seen as an advantage, not a disadvantage," Aro counted, shooting a 'shut up' glare at Caius. "Believe this is the best thing for you. You know us Vampires. Love is our strongest bond."  
Jane smiled falsely. "I do know us Vampires, Aro. Our other strongest bond is Vengeance."  
Marcus' eyes widened and Aro went to retort, but Jane was already stalking out of the room.

Jane waited in the empty Training Room. The two windows on the sides of the door showed the falling night. She stood with her arms crossed against her chest as she stared eagerly at the door. The torches around the room gave it orange light, the holders held tiny candles with dainty flames in the rounded corners.  
She had sent Christian to get Luna Cain. He had refused her request at first and Jane never wasted an opportunity to use her power. For a minute she tortured him, watched him with a faint smile on her perfect, full lips as he squirmed and cried on the floor. She was in a particularly sadistic mood tonight and could barely contain her excitement for her next victim.  
Luna Cain rapt on the door and didn't wait for an answer. She closed the door behind her and approached Jane, keeping a respectful distance. She didn't show fear nor did she look nervous; just expectant.  
"You've made a very big mistake, Luna Cain," Jane began calmly, but she couldn't restrain the snarl. "You have angered me quite and I do not offer second chances."  
"Okay," Luna replied simply.  
Jane raised her eyebrows and began to circle her. Her arms dropped to her sides and she curled her fingers. "What makes you think that you can take my own Brother from me? What makes you think that he even that he even 'loves' you at all?"  
"What makes you think that I'm going to answer your questions?" Luna muttered.  
Jane faced her again, the room falling quiet as her footsteps ceased.  
Then Luna gasped as the pain suddenly hit her and she crumpled to the floor. She whimpered and groaned, trying to keep her cries under control and her head clear as the fire boiled her.  
"Alec doesn't love you at all. He only loves me. You're just a pretty face," she taunted. She got to her knees and knelt before Luna's head. "I usually don't like getting my hands dirty, but I'm going to enjoy killing you, Cain."  
One hand clamped onto Luna's shoulder, the sudden pressure sending alarm through Luna's head, but the burning torture was too overwhelming. Jane's hand went to Luna's chin gently and she tilted her head to look at her. She gave her a pretty smile as her fingers spread out along her jaw and dug in. Jane began to pull slowly. She'd watched this happen hundreds of times before. Never had she been responsible for the final blow to a Vampire, though she'd accept responsibility for the preceding events.  
Luna felt the strain on her neck, felt the bone, the muscle and the frozen skin holding on. Her neck started to make the squeaking cry of straining ice as each shard grew closer to cracking apart.  
Luna tried to call on her Apparition but the heat was boiling her mind, spinning and churning her brain. She couldn't focus. She tried taking deep breaths.  
'_Ignore the pain! It's not really there. It's all an illusion_!'  
But pain is persistent. Luna focused and looked for the growing pressure of a hand digging into her shoulder. The ache in her neck was nothing compared to the fire consuming her body. Jane's fury seemed to make the flames even more intense.  
Luna tried to open her eyes, she didn't even know if they were open already, they stung too much to see. She clamped them shut. She just couldn't calm down, couldn't relax.  
She tried calling on the shadows in the room but she was too out of practise.  
Jane knew she was close. Demitri and Felix made it look so easy. But Jane wanted it to be slow, wanted to make sure that Luna felt everything.  
Suddenly Jane saw something small speeding towards the room through the air. Too curious, she turned her full attention to the window and squinted into the dark. A small, thin, brown object was approaching rapidly.  
The flames ceased and Luna breathed a sigh of relief, then realised she could barely breathe through the hand wrapped around her throat. The stick crashed through the window and snapped into Luna's hand. She snapped her arm around towards Jane's face and a spark blazed with a snap. Jane released her hold and Luna scampered back.  
Before Jane could inflict her power again, Luna flicked her wand and used a spell she never had before.  
"Crucio," she snarled.  
Jane screamed and crumpled to floor. She twisted and squirmed and screamed as the pain gnawed at every inch of her body. This wasn't fire. This was just pain. Luna watched her sadly and raised her right hand to a chair in the room. Shadows curled around it and she flicked it forward. It zoomed across the floor in front of her like an obedient dog.  
She released the curse on Jane and she lunged at Luna. Her fist blurred through Luna's head and Luna grabbed her, pulling her behind her and pushing her into the chair. Luna flicked her wrist and shadows wrapped around her wrists and secured her to the chair. A larger tendril wrapped around her eyes, blinding her. The Necromancy ring was becoming warmer, she didn't have much energy left.  
She looked at her wand guiltily and tucked it deep into the pocket of her dress.  
"Nice try, Jane," she began, ensuring to keep the power in her voice. "Didn't expect the tables to turn did you? Well obviously because you would've had a back-up plan."  
Jane said nothing.  
Luna leant on the arms of the chair, keeping her face in front of Jane's blind eyes. Jane sensed her closeness.  
"I don't want to use my powers against you. I want to protect you. I want to protect your Brother because I _love_ your Brother."  
Jane snarled.  
"Listen to me Jane. You don't want me to be your enemy, you want me to be your friend."  
Jane looked down in defeat.  
"I'm sorry for what I've ruined between you. But I'm not sorry for loving him. I don't care if you forgive me or not, I do care, however, if you try to kill me."  
Jane looked up at her with an eyeless glare. "I will never forgive you. But killing you... I'll plan it better next time."  
"A plan 'B' could be useful," Luna agreed. "But since it's me, you're going to need the whole alphabet."  
Jane smirked then caught herself.  
Luna suddenly gasped and weakened. The shadows quivered as they struggled then whipped away back to the shadows. Luna knelt to the floor; her ring became warm; all her Necromancy was gone.  
"Feeling a little tired, Luna?" Jane asked, leaning forward on the chair.  
"For now," she replied. She lashed her leg out at the chair and it toppled, Jane fell to the floor next to her.  
"He doesn't love you! He only cares about me!" Jane snarled.  
Luna frowned. "What about Aro?"  
"And Aro!"  
"You're wrong. You're also worried. You know he loves me and you're afraid of that. That's why you're behaving like this."  
Jane stood up and sneered down at her. "I know my own Brother a ridiculous amount more than you do. We'll see who ends up right in the end."  
Luna smiled back, "We shall."  
Jane turned and stalked out of room. The doors rumbled closed and Luna released a big sigh of relief from her place on the floor.

**Author's Note: Please review. Let me know what you thought or what you want to see!**


	37. The Power's Core

**Author's Note: Thanks heaps to Chained2love for following and the Guest and Lara for your inspiring reviews.**

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Power's Core

Luna never realised how much Necromancy was a part of her power. The power that kept her moving. In a way she felt drained without it; or maybe that was just the charge of souls lurking in her ring, a permanent, buzzing energy. Being without it was an unfamiliar sensation, almost empty and vulnerable, like she had no clothes on.  
She dismissed that appalling comparison and opened the cupboard door under the stairs. She drifted among the shadow and towards the sinister light provided by the flame in the bracket. Rigid, but still gracious in movement as she became the predator.  
The sick humans laid weak in their cages, skin waxy and clammy. Their heartbeats thudded loudly in Luna's ears against the dead quiet of the room.  
'_Do you know where the wicked go after death, Miss Cain_?' A man's voice suddenly said.  
Luna hissed and recoiled against the wall, looking into the dark corners of the room. Nothing but the flames moved.  
Luna moved from the stairs to the cages in a blur. She opened it and pulled the woman out from within. She cooperated with Luna, too weak to fight back.  
Luna bit hard, her teeth easily slicing through the flesh and breaking to the blood she craved underneath. The blood flooded from the open wound and washed over her tongue.  
The woman grew weaker and Luna slowly went down with her.  
'_They go to Hell_,' a young girl's voice said.  
Luna broke the bite and looked around the room. The woman whimpered as Luna's venom began to spread.  
'_And what is Hell_?' The man asked.  
'_A pit full of fire_,' the girl replied. Luna stared at the orange flickering on the floor.  
These words, this conversation. She'd heard it before. Then she remembered.

_A twelve year old Luna stood in the Headmaster's office. She looked up the steps to where the great desk sat, Vindictus Veridian leant against it, staring down at Luna. Vivian Vale stood to the side, smirking happily at Luna.  
"Do you know where the wicked go after death, Miss Cain?" Veridian asked.  
"They go to Hell," Luna replied simply, not showing fear.  
"And what is Hell?" Veridian pressed, standing straighter.  
"A pit full of fire."  
Veridian descended two steps. "And shall you like to fall into this pit and be burning there for all eternity?"  
"No, Sir."  
"Then what must you do to avoid it?" Veridian crossed his arms.  
"I must stay healthy, and must never die."_

Xeno tried to comfort his Daughter, but his hand kept passing through her back.  
"Luna?" He called. "Luna?"  
Luna's victim continued to whimper and squirm as the venom burnt through her veins. Xeno grabbed her head and quickly twisted it to the side with a snap. Wispy shadows rose from her chest and floated towards Luna's ring. The ring sucked the life in, trapping the shadows beneath its surface and Luna's deep red eyes snapped open. She bolted upright, staring at the room in shock. Her right hand dripped with blood from the puddle that had leaked freely from the woman's neck. The ring was now colder on her finger and she could feel the power coursing through it. She didn't kill for blood, she killed for power.  
"I know..." She said.  
"Know what? What happened?"  
"My power... I know where it comes from."

Luna rinsed her hand underneath the tap. The blood stained the white porcelain tub red. She dried off her hand and opened the cupboard. It took a while for Blue to squirm to the front. He blinked at her with tired eyes. Luna picked him up gently and cradled him in her hand, wispy shadows from the ring floated slowly around him.  
"What happened?" Xeno asked from the chair in front of the window.  
"I ran out of shadows. It was very strange."  
"How?"  
Luna sat down on her bed. "I felt weakened, like it also works to keep _me_ alive."  
Xeno leant back in his chair. "Well, Necromancy does reside in objects even... Dead beings. I suppose Necromancy could be channeling through yourself as well, like it does with Blue."  
"Is that a bad thing?"  
"No," Xeno shook his head thoughtfully, as if not completely sure himself. "Why weren't you responding to me in the human pens?"  
Luna stood and handed Blue to Xeno. "I was remembering," she said as she sat on the foot of her bed. "I said something to Vindictus Veridian once-"  
"So you were the student that said he was a bossy moron," Xeno said, pointing a finger.  
"No, that was Nick Wate."  
"Oh, of course! I don't know who that is."  
"Anyway... I told him I would never die... To avoid Hell."  
"He said you would go to Hell when you were still alive?" Xeno asked, a deep snarl edging his voice.  
"No, Vivian Vale told him that I was bad, that something needed to be done about me otherwise I'd be claimed by the Devil."  
"That woman had everything against _me_. She never liked me when we were in School from the moment I told her there was a mouse it the broom closet and then locked her in there."  
"Bless your little cotton socks," Luna said dryly.  
"She was very religious. And obviously not too fond of Vampires either."  
Luna smiled.  
"But this is great! Now you'll be able to appreciate your power more now that you know where it comes from. It's a survival instinct because you have something to prove. But now, we have other things to discuss."  
"Yes, we do. Are we really wanted criminals?"  
"Yes, but over the years, we've probably moved down in the priority list. But it's still dangerous to be seen in the Wizarding community so we need to leave that behind."  
"What about Lysander?"  
"Lysander will be perfectly happy living here, it'll be safer for him too. Now, this boy."  
Luna raised her eyebrows.  
"I don't like him."  
"You don't know him either."  
"But I've seen enough to know he has no room to love a girl like you. You're far above him Luna!"  
"Actually he's far above me."  
Xeno leaned over her and prodded her heart. "In here. All he cares about is his Sister and his position in the Guard. Centuries in the Volturi have turned him into one of the worst monsters there is. He is arrogant, insensitive and remorseless and is incapable of loving."  
"I see him in a different light," Luna replied.  
Xeno wrapped his arm around her and eased her to the mirror. "Look."  
Luna looked, "What am I looking for?"  
Xeno gently touched her eyelid. "Your eyes."  
"What about them?"  
"When we first came here they were completely clear, only your black lashes framed those beautiful eyes. Now look."  
Now Luna saw it. The lids of her eyes were a light shade of grey. "Oh."  
"Do you like being here, Luna?" Xeno asked gently.  
"Yes, of course," Luna nodded. "It gives me a purpose. A reason for being."  
"You don't need a reason, you just are... A miracle. You are the most important thing in my li-... Unlife."  
"I love you, Dad," Luna said as she hugged him.  
"I love you too. Now, for the love of all that is good... Keep your distance from the boy."  
He stroked her hair then headed for the door.  
"Dad, I... I make you proud, don't I, I'm not disappointing?"  
Xeno froze in his tracks. "Of course not! You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."  
Luna nodded in relief. Xeno smiled and left the room. Luna listened to his footsteps fading away and pulled her wand out of her pocket.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you want to see or what I need to improve!**


	38. The New Vampire

**Author's Note: Sorry this is late, but I have a valid excuse. I've just returned from holidays where I had an Internet rehab and I really missed FanFiction, but I was still able to write other Chapters so I am five in advance!  
Also thank you to Nyx's Reincarnation for following and favouriting and for your ****_really_**** helpful review, thank you!**

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The New Vampire

Jane always stormed around the halls when she was angry. With her arms crossed tightly across her chest, she paced. Everyone steered clear unless they wanted to be subjected to Jane's torture. Everyone except Alec. He came out of the hall next to the Common Room and looked around for her. He heard the sharp tapping of her shoes from the hall in front.  
He drifted quickly up the hall until he reached her side.  
"You tried to kill her," Alec said simply.  
Jane glowered.  
"That was brave."  
"In what way?" she snapped, stopping in her tracks. "Because Luna's a better fighter than I am?" She raised a quizzical eyebrow.  
"Because hurting her would've meant hurting me. Are you really willing to do that?" Alec asked sternly.  
"I didn't try to hurt you! I was protecting you-"  
"You were protecting yourself. You're scared that I'll be distracted. And I will be. But I don't love you any less. We have a twin bond that could never be broken, Jane.  
All those hours we spent apart I will now be spending with her."  
"I don't know where this has come from all of a sudden. I don't believe you really love her. Do you?"  
"Yes. I do."  
Jane sighed. "I will forgive you for this, I love you Alec. You're my Brother and nothing will ever change that. But Luna will have to work a little harder."  
She continued down the hall.  
"So you could make amends?" Alec called after her.  
Jane shot him an amused look over her shoulder.  
The doors to the Clock Tower rumbled open and the patrol team of Jack and Lance emerged from the darkness of the night, early.  
Jane hurried off to investigate, Alec tailing far behind.  
Their voices filled the entrance, along with a third they didn't recognise. Jane took the right turn past the courtyard and headed for the middle corridor. Holding her head high, she walked halfway towards the group. Jane regarded the new Vampire with narrowed eyes. He was a shy man with red eyes and straight, black hair. He wore elegant attire in gold that was casually loose fitting. He held his chin high yet rigidly.  
"What do you want?" Jane asked.  
Alec drifted to Jane's side, looking at the man through narrowed eyes. He kept his shoulders back with his head up, hoping to intimidate him further.  
"My name is Eleazar," he began politely, his voice held a faint Spanish accent. "I am looking for a position within your forces."  
"Hm," Jane laughed. "Good luck."  
Eleazar didn't move.  
"Follow me," Jane commanded.  
She turned and stalked off down the hall, Alec smirked before turning and following by her side. Eleazar warily trailed behind, Jack and Lance flanking him, their grey cloaks billowing behind them as they walked.

**Author's Note: Short, but sweet. I think my notes are longer than the actual chapters, besides longer chapters coming. Please review.**


	39. Duty Calls

**Author's Note: Thanks Nyx's Reincarnation (Tarah,) for reviewing. Just to clarify the year is 1711.**

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Duty Calls

Fletcher pushed open the doors and strode out into the early morning. The dark blue sky was filled with dark boulders of clouds. His feet scuffed the steps, the only sound in the courtyard besides the gentle trickling of the water fountain. Muffled footsteps came from inside, then became clear as the doors opened again. Fletcher whirled back round to face his company. Luna pulled her cloak on and flicked the hood up as she hurried down after him.  
"Hi," she said, trying a weak smile.  
Fletcher looked to the floor then back at her, finally cracking a smile. "It's good to have you back."

Luna removed her cloak and slung it over her arm as she headed down the alley. The sun was completely up and shining as Luna's patrol session came to an end. She ducked back under the shade of the trees as her skin caught the sunlight and started to glimmer. The four cottages came into view from behind the hedge and Luna inspected each one. A soothing, yet rough scratching came from the house that she had seen her Uncle enter a few days ago.  
Taildoe stood in the middle of the path, brushing it gently with a broom.  
"Hello, Taildoe," Luna greeted as she walked up the path.  
Taildoe bowed his head, "Hello, Miss Cain," and continued sweeping.  
Luna knocked on the door.  
"Come in," Lysander called from the inside.  
Luna stepped inside quietly and looked around with a smile. Another typical Wizard's home. Closing the door, Luna followed where his scent was strongest which was to the right. She entered the thin space of a Kitchen then through the arch to a round dining table.  
"Hello there!" Lysander waved from the table, standing up and putting away his pen. "Very nice of you to visit me."  
"Please. It's the very least I could do."  
Lysander tilted his head and headed through the next arch and into the lounge room.  
"I came to apologise," Luna explained as she followed him. "For putting you in so much jeopardy. I forced you out of your home and away from your friends and now you're wanted by the Ministry."  
"Nonsense. There is a slight possibility that the Ministry wants me, and that makes me feel awesome, right?"  
"It is pretty cool," Luna agreed. "But I'm sorry for disturbing you, I just should have left things." She fumed, twisting her ring.  
"Listen," Lysander said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You were not a disturbance, you were my chance. I've needed to get out of that house for a long time and I just didn't know it.  
"That was my desperate attempt to prove my worth owning that house, but I was never truly happy."  
"What about Francesca?"  
"Ah, there are plenty of other fish in the sea," he sighed, walking away from her. "Coming from me that sounded ridiculously optimistic. But obviously we didn't care enough for each other for her to follow me here... Like Taildoe," he gestured out the kitchen window. "But I'd much rather spend my last years where I am appreciated, with my real friends and family."

Luna gently opened the door to Florence's room, poking her head inside. She secretly cupped what was in her hand securely as she closed the door quietly.  
The boys continued to play with their wooden cars but Florence looked up from her book.  
Luna rushed over and crouched by her bed, wrapping her free arm around her tightly. Florence wrapped her arms tightly around her neck.  
"I'm sorry," Luna whispered. "I'm back now and I promise I won't leave again."  
Florence only squeezed tighter.  
Hazel entered suddenly then slowed as she saw Luna by the bed. Luna whirled around and gave Hazel a reassuring smile. She turned back to Florence and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.  
"I have something to show you," Luna said.  
Florence nodded eagerly, sitting up straighter.  
Luna rose her other hand above the bed and Blue flapped off, landing on the bed. Florence slowly held out her finger and Blue flinched away. He saw Luna's warning look then tilted his head again and Florence's finger glided easily over his soft feathers.  
"Who's this?" She asked.  
"This is my pet, Caerulea. But we call him Blue for short," Luna answered, resting her head on her palm.  
"Has he been here the whole time?" Florence asked, awe filling her voice.  
"Yes. He's... He's been living in my closet."  
"Is he dead?" Florence whispered.  
Luna nodded.  
"How's he alive?"  
Luna head up her right hand, her black ring gleaming. "Magic."  
"Are you a Witch?" Florence asked quietly.  
"Yes."  
"Then you're not a Vampire?"  
Luna thought. "I'm both," she answered uncertainly.  
Florence nodded and scooped Blue up in her hands, cradling him in her lap. "Can you show me magic?"  
Luna grinned and held her right hand to the wall. The shadows reflected by the bed head and side table began to grow up. Individual lines grew and they began to wave and curl. The black silhouettes of flowers, leaves and roses sprung from the grass and vines, creating a black, garden mural up the wall. Florence gasped and jumped up in delight, running her hand along the wall, but the shadows didn't budge.  
"Bello!" she sighed in delight.  
Luna walked over to Hazel and hugged her tightly.  
"Oh, my dear," Hazel crooned. "It's good to have you back."  
Luna pulled back. "And I'm here to stay," she smiled.  
Hazel chuckled lightly and stroked the girl's cheek with her thumb fondly.  
Hazel smiled faintly at Florence. "She's missed you terribly. Although she did tell me about something she saw."  
Luna raised her eyebrows as she watched Florence try to catch Blue as he flew around her head.  
"I've heard about it, Alec and yourself. I don't mean to turn this sour-"  
Luna groaned inside.  
"But I've seen that boy do terrible things without remorse and only with pleasure over the years. I don't want you hurt, my dear. Just please be wary, and keep your distance."  
'_No way in Hell_,' Luna nodded.  
She didn't want to believe Jane and she knew that she didn't, but the people she trusted like her Dad and Hazel were telling her the same. Sure Hazel had known him for far longer, but she didn't know him like Luna did. But with Jane, a sibling bond was unarguable. Jane would know more than anyone.  
A knock came from the door. "Come in," Hazel called after clearing her throat.  
The door clicked open and Richard, the second Head of Guard peered in. By his side was a Vampire Luna had never seen before, but had heard of. The new Guard Member. He had a power, so he was automatically part of the the Guard.  
Richard smiled politely. "Good morning, Hazel. I'm just showing Eleazar here around. You know the experience."  
"Of course," Hazel replied warmly. "Come in."  
Richard closed the door behind Eleazar. The children settled and stood to see their visitor. Luna held out her arm and Blue flapped swiftly and perched on her arm. Eleazar raised a curious eyebrow.  
"Eleazar, this is Hazel and Luna. Luna guards Alec and Jane and Hazel minds the Immortal Children here," Richard introduced.  
"Pleasure," Eleazar said warmly as he shook their hands rigidly.  
Blue pecked at Eleazar's sleeve and Luna tapped him over the head scoldingly.  
"These are the Immortal Children we're keeping," Richard gestured.  
"I thought such children were illegal," Eleazar asked in his smooth, Spanish accent.  
"They are, but our goal is to determine an exact age that they'll be able to handle their thirsts."  
"What ages are they?"  
Richard looked to Hazel. "Florence is seven, Antonio is five and Victor is three," she answered.  
Eleazar nodded.  
"They're not doing so well," Richard commented loudly. The children looked to him with wide eyes and Luna glared at him through the corner of hers.  
"Well, thank you Luna and Hazel. Moving on," Richard said.  
Eleazar bowed his head and followed him from the room.  
In the quiet, Blue suddenly flapped to Luna's shoulder. Luna flinched back as she got feathers in her face. Blue settled and looked at Luna innocently.  
"You're not a parrot, you idiot," Luna said, getting some laughs from the children. At least.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this. Please review!**


	40. Explanations

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews from Nyx's Reincarnation (Tarah), **  
**DarlingYourDemonsAllLookLikeMe, Aleksjoy and the mysterious 'Guest.' Also to Tarah, what exactly does filler mean? Enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

Chapter Forty

Explanations

Luna knocked on Alec's door. After all the bad things said, it made Luna want to see him more. No answer came. She opened the door gently and peered inside. Midday light flooded through the windows, shrouded by the thin curtain. The rest of the room was still.  
Luna looked out the window, then leant on the couch and parted the curtain with a smile. Past the huge, stained glass dome of the Throne Room were the branches of the oak tree, poking up behind it.

Luna half jogged down the small hill towards the short brick wall. She could see Alec's lean figure in the black coat strolling up the field. She hopped onto the wall and crouched in a crumbled gap, waiting for him to come to her.  
"You naughty girl," he called in his deep voice once he was close enough. "Ignoring advice."  
Luna grinned. "Call me stupid, but I don't believe a word of what anyone says."  
He stopped closely in front of her.  
"And what does Luna Cain say?" he asked, placing his hand on her neck.  
"I say that... I love you."  
Alec bit his lip with a grin. "That's risky," he teased. "Considering I'm the only one who could possibly kill you."  
Luna raised her eyebrows. "Then go ahead. Kill me."  
Their lips crashed together in a deep kiss. Alec lifted her off the wall and into his arms.

Luna's black ring glinted in the sun. Alec took her hand and ran his thumb over it. They sat together on the brick wall, looking out onto the field. The clouds were truly magnificent in the pale blue sky. Large, grey boulders rolling about, their outlines a distinct, electric blue, lit up the sun they were concealing.  
Alec kissed her cheek and she smiled up at him. Here in his arms was a mysterious creature; a Witch. Something he'd only been accused of being. And he knew nothing about Witches. She was the real thing, nothing compared to what he'd been when he was Human.  
"You don't make sense," he began.  
" 'You' being a collective noun?" She asked.  
"Yes. Why do you have different powers to Xeno and Lysander?"  
"We're the same. But different."  
"Oh, okay. That made no sense at all."  
"Some things are too big and complicated to be explained like that," she laughed.  
"Is there a 'Witches and Wizards 101' or a book? Something?"  
Luna began to shake her head then stopped. "That's not such a bad idea."  
"Of course it's not," he scoffed mockingly.  
Luna looked back to the Clock Tower. This place had smothered any vision of another life for her, yet inside she couldn't perish the persistent burning of who she really was. She wanted to tell Alec everything, but this place denied her to believe it herself. She couldn't bring herself to even imagine leaving, though. Like there was nothing beyond Volterra. Unless they _really_ wanted it.  
"Let's get out of here," Luna said suddenly, her voice quick and panicky. "Let's go."  
She jumped off the brick wall leaving Alec stunned. She walked quickly a few metres away and already nerves of the unknown were consuming her.  
"Where?" Alec called, holding out his hands.  
"Anywhere!" She replied, her enthusiasm growing as she whirled back to him. She slowly approached him again as she nervously rambled on. "Alec, we can't spend our entire lives just waiting for a moment that's going to change everything, it'll never happen. We can start the rest of our lives right now, okay? Just the two of us together. We just got to say 'yes,' we just got to get up and just go!" She gestured wildly to the field beyond them.  
"I can't do that," Alec replied sullenly. "And neither can you."  
Luna nodded understanding. "We have to want it enough to walk away. I don't what it is about this place but we just have to-"  
"There is something about this place," Alec confirmed.  
"What do you mean?" Luna asked stepping back to him closely.  
He bent one knee and rested his elbow upon it as he planned his next sentence.  
"There is one in the Guard, far more important than Jane and I. She's hidden amongst the fore-most of the Guard, the ones who have been here since the start with exceptional talents. She is the reason this coven stays together."  
"Who is it?" Luna asked quietly.  
"Chelsea."  
Luna immediately pictured the beautiful, young lady with the perfect blonde hair and full lips that had led them through Europe all the way to Volterra.  
"What does she do?"  
"She has influence over relationships. She can strengthen them or loosen them."  
"You mean she's..."  
"She's the glue that holds us all together, makes sure our loyalty stays strong. She always goes along to gain new coven members to tie them with us. Make it feel like they belong with us and there's no other place. It's almost impossible to fight."  
"But if we just go we won't be exposed to it."  
"You felt it when we left for a day. The empty feeling, the exposed anxiety. It's like a drug. We need it otherwise we don't... Feel well."  
It all made sense.  
"There are other powers in the Guard, aren't there? That keep us together?"  
Alec only nodded and jumped down from the wall. He took her hands and pulled her in, holding them to his lips. "This is the right place for us. _I know_ this is where we belong. It isn't Chelsea's power making me think like that."  
Luna raised her eyebrows.  
"A bit, maybe," he admitted. "But my point is, I know this is my purpose, I was created for this. This is where you will be safe and accepted and this is where I swear I'll love you and protect you everyday."  
"I belong with you," Luna confirmed. "No one else can tell me that."

A single warm light flooded through the window and into the darkening night. Inside a figure walked about her room.  
Luna pulled open a draw and looked for a quill and ink. She took out a sheet of paper and sat down in the chair. She dipped the quill into the ink and held it above the stained parchment. A black drop dripped onto it and spread outwards as it stained the paper. There was so much about being a Sorcerer that barely even words could explain. It was something you grew up with; it was something you just knew. But it was something she would _try_ to explain.  
She brought the sharp tip down and scratched away her life. The only thing she had known for fourteen years.

Alec watched Luna in silence as her hand furiously blurred across the page. She was on a roll and was even writing when she walked into the room. She couldn't even open the door for herself. Her 'babysitting' session was almost done.  
Finally her hand slowed as she came to end of the notebook she'd filled. She placed the finished work onto the short table in front of her, laying the ink and quill aside.  
"Let that dry," she muttered.  
She stood up and walked across to him. He wrapped his arms around her as she sat down next him.  
"It's all in there?" He asked as he kissed her temple.  
"Down to the very last not even remotely interesting detail," she grinned.  
"I shall enjoy reading this," he smiled genuinely.

**Author's Note: Review if you have something to say! Thanks for reading!**


	41. Torn

**Author's Note: Thank you to Nyx's Reincarnation for your review and to XxSafarixX for favouriting. Enjoy!**

Chapter Forty-One

Torn

"What did you tell him?" Xeno yelled after Luna as she walked down the middle corridor. She turned round to face him as he stormed down after her.  
"Or more importantly what are you still doing with him?"  
"Your advice, along with many others, was considered but I've made my decision. I trust him."  
"See! And there's the first mistake right there! What did you tell him? You told him about the Wizarding World didn't you? It's illegal to tell Mortals about us."  
"He's definitely not a Mortal and we don't belong in that world anymore!"  
"Luna, you have an invincible power that only _he_ can defeat. I don't trust him."  
"But I do and clearly that's not enough for you."  
"You trust him and you don't have a better reason than that, do you?"  
"And you don't and you don't have a better reason," she shot back. "If you can't trust him, then trust me! I understand you're trying to protect me, but I can stand on my own two feet."  
She turned and continued walking towards the light of the entrance.  
"It's your life I'm trying to protect!" He yelled after her, storming down the corridor.  
Luna shook her head angrily and just as she started climbing the steps.  
"Why can't you see that loving this boy puts you in terrible danger."  
Luna paused on the stairs and glared down at Xeno as he stood in the foyer. A sudden breeze started to blow the flames, making them flicker. Some Guards had come to see the disturbance.  
"Xenophilius," Alec called from the right corridor. "What's going on?" He demanded as he glided through the Guards gathered there.  
Luna came down the stairs and Alec took a step towards her. Xeno's palms snapped out and the benches in the room grated along the floor as they rotated noisily around the room.  
"Really?" Luna asked blankly.  
Alec and the Guards dodged the marble benches as they came flying around the room in a circle, the ripples in the air visible. Xeno's power was becoming more and more powerful. Anger truly was the source of energy.  
The wind continued to grow as Luna grew angrier. Every step she took was blocked off by a flying bench.  
"Dad! Stop this!" She yelled.  
She looked to Alec and saw him trying to get through the benches. One thing she wanted that she couldn't get to. Her hands raised beside her, as if they were on steady strings she couldn't control. The shadows in the room bubbled and boiled, fuelled by the same anger in Luna. Soon they fell in waves, darting and sweeping through the room until they crashed against the benches. The benches stopped as they jammed against the shadows. They trembled as they pushed against them hard. Xeno curled his fingers, adding more pressure against the objects. Luna curled her fingers, her shadows straining. Her chest tightened as her anger grew. The other shadows against the walls boiled furiously, rising higher and higher to the ceiling.  
"I am so tired, Dad!" She yelled. "Just let me go!"  
Xeno snarled and the benches broke through the shadows.  
Luna screamed and the pressure in the shadows burst the windows. The piercing smashing overpowered her scream and the shards burst forwards. They tinkled through the air and onto the ground. The shower of glass and wind pushed the others back into the corridors. The benches crashed back onto the floor.  
The Necromancer shadows swirled around the room in a hurricane as they grew out of control along with Luna's anger. She looked around desperately for anyone but all she could see was the shadows whipping by her eyes. It clawed at her hair and she felt it coming loose, she felt the shards of glass tearing her dress. She needed to calm down but couldn't find the reasonable temper inside her. She looked around for the only one she wanted right now as the roaring of the wind crackled in her sensitive ears.  
'_ALEC_!' She screamed inside.

'_Where are you?_' Luna's voice said. Alec looked around for her, but she was no where in sight. Only the feral shadows and the roaring of wind. Impossible to hear over, only the thoughts of his own head. That's when he realised that her voice had sounded like his own, as if it had come from his own head.  
'_I'm here!_' He called back to her, willed it to her mind.  
'_Where?_' She called again, the ring of her voice echoing around the walls of his mind.  
'_I'm here! I'm right here! I'm coming, calm down_," Alec desperately pleaded her as he took a step back towards the black hurricane.  
Immediately the wind began to relax. The length the shadows could reach began to retract. The shadows gradually stopped spinning and Alec staggered towards the middle. He broke through them and saw Luna's figure standing there.  
'_Luna_!' He called softly to her.  
She looked up and the shadows rose high and straight, then flattened themselves against the wall and sunk back down quickly, to where they belonged.  
The wind died and all noise was gone. Luna suddenly ran forward and Alec threw his arms around her tightly.  
For the first time he ran his fingers through her loose hair, the long, wavy mess floating around her. Then he noticed something about it. He pulled her back gently. Her eyes looked at him sadly as they reverted to the mess of crumbled marble and shattered glass around the room.  
Alec pulled her hair over her shoulders and noticed the strands underneath were suddenly very dark.  
She looked down sadly. Never before had she lost control quite like this.  
Xeno pushed a broken bench out of his way. It rumbled and scraped across the floor as it rolled away. He stalked murderously towards the two.  
Alec turned and stood in front of Luna protectively, keeping a hold on her hand.  
Xeno snarled and a hand slammed into the middle of his chest, keeping him back firmly. Xeno looked down and glared at its owner.  
"Don't, Xeno," Hazel warned.  
Luna watched the lady warily over Alec's shoulder.  
"Who's side are you on?" Xeno growled quietly.  
"There's no coming in between them now," Hazel sighed loudly as she backed away. "Have you seen the way she looks at him?"  
Xeno pursed his lips as he stared at the ground. Then he slowly rose his glare directly on Alec.  
"I don't trust you, boy-"  
"There's only one thing I can do to make you trust me," he called.  
Xeno raised an eyebrow.  
Alec turned back to Luna and stroked her cheek. He looked deeply into her eyes while his mind focused and strained to do what it did before. Finally he formed the unspoken words.  
'_Trust me_,' came his voice in her mind.  
She didn't answer. His hand trailed to her back and found the zipper of her dress.  
"I believe you know what the 'Mate's Mark' is, Xeno?" he said without turning.  
Xeno stiffened. The Mate's Mark was a bite mark on the neck symbolising they already belong to another.  
Alec pulled down her collar, "There's the Creator's Mark," he said aloud, tracing the faint scar with his finger. He wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her close.  
He turned his head back to Xeno. "I'll do it! But you know what that will mean. Mates override the creators, I'll have complete ownership of her, and it's forever."  
Luna didn't know if she wanted to change her Master, but Alec wouldn't mark her if he was just using her.  
He slowly leaned in to her exposed neck, waiting for Xeno to stop him, he knew he would.  
"Alright!" Xeno called.  
Alec was hardly wrong.  
"Just..." Xeno began but then trailed off. He threw down his arm and walked away.  
Hazel raised her eyebrows before trailing after him.  
Finally the room was quiet, so quiet they could hear the dust mites falling. Alec turned back to her and looked deeply into her eyes. She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him long and deep, over and over.  
The air around them grew cold as a bitter chill swept through. Suddenly the tiny, glinting shards of glass began to slowly float in the air around them. They broke apart and looked up and around, confused.  
Fletcher stood at the entrance to the middle corridor, holding both hands up in front of him.  
"Thought you could use some help cleaning up."  
The shards of glass floated to the windows, all criss-crossing to go their own ways. They fitted into the windows easily, all the glass fitting together like a puzzle, and froze there. A layer of ice held the glass in place, the cracks still clear.  
"That'll melt soon," he said, dropping his hands.  
Luna smiled and fished her wand out of her pocket. She waved it gently and said, "Repairo Maxima."  
She broken pieces of stone, marble and wood around the room began to rumble. Soon they glided off the floor and to their original places. The wood returned to the front door, the marble reformed the benches as they returned to their original positions around the room, the stone returned to the bricks in the walls it was chipped off. The cracks in the glass, underneath the ice, glazed over and out of sight. Alec and Fletcher watched as the rocks flew past them until the room was clean and still.  
They both looked to her. "That was fun," she chirped.

Luna closed the door to Alec's room. Alec crossed the floor quickly to his bedside table and picked up the notebook.  
"You mentioned something about it," he muttered as he flicked through the pages.  
"About what?" she asked, coming over to him.  
He turned to face her. "I heard you... In my head."  
Luna nodded. "I really didn't think I was crazy."  
"You heard me too?"  
She nodded.  
"Here," he said pointing to the page.  
"Sorcerers have the ability to communicate telepathically with others they love," Luna recited, without looking at it. "That's strange."  
"Why? Because you don't actually love me?" He teased.  
"No. Only Witches and Wizards can do it. We can't talk to Mortals."  
Alec furrowed his eyebrows. "Strange," he agreed. "Well, have you done this before?" He asked, sitting back onto the bed.  
"Yes, and only once."  
"When?" He took her hands and pulled her down next to him.  
"Just before I was created, it's one of the clearest memories I still have."

_Xeno could feel the magnet between her and himself. He could feel its pull, dragging him forwards. The magnet of love.  
He picked up his pace to close the distance faster, but the field wouldn't end.  
"Luna," he whispered. "Luna. Where are you?"  
A light drizzle began to fall from the grey clouds rumbling overhead, making the world hazy. Xeno's clothes began to stick to him. A simple, white shirt with a large, red coat and red three-quarter length pants that had long white socks disappearing under the hem.  
"Luna."  
He walked in his black boots further into the country side.  
Luna looked up from her work. She could've sworn she'd heard her name whispered. She looked over at Taildoe. The house-elf was busy sweeping the floor.  
Luna's quill dripped onto her sheet and she quickly placed back it into her ink.  
Xeno was descending a hill sprouting long green grass. There was a thin line on the horizon, the forest.  
"Luna, where are you?"  
Luna's head snapped up to the ceiling. The wood only groaned, the mobiles swaying gently.  
The wind picked up outside in a sudden gust. The trees rocked and the house shuddered. 'Where are you,' the wind had said, Luna was sure of it.  
She got up from the table and went to the small window. The clouds were drizzling and the morning was becoming overcast.  
The wind blew again. 'Where are you.'  
Luna looked around, uncertain.  
"I'm here," she whispered.  
'Where are you?' The wind blew again.  
"I'm here," Luna said louder.  
Taildoe looked up started. "That you are, Miss Cain."  
Xeno ran through the forest. The magnet was becoming stronger, her nearness making him desperate. "Luna, I'm coming," he said.  
'I'm coming,' the wind said.  
"I'm coming?" Luna said, confused.  
'I'm coming.'  
"I'm coming," Luna promised.  
"Miss Cain, why do speak to the air?" Taildoe asked, very concerned.  
"I'm coming," Luna called before running outside.  
"Miss Cain!" Taildoe called, but Luna was already running down the garden path.  
Luna hurriedly opened the short, iron gate. Her heart thudded in nervousness and she felt hot despite the wet and cold weather. She tore out onto the field and began running, which was difficult in her dress. It was long sleeved and the skirt was long hemmed. It had a high neck hole with a lace collar. The pattern had thick, swirling, blue lines all over and the background, barely visible under the pattern, a dark grey.  
Luna continued to run, even when the figure she anticipated couldn't be seen. Luna determinedly charged on. She suddenly tripped but hastily got up and continued on.  
Xeno was finally reaching the end of the forest. He could see the light at the end of the trees. He quickly covered the space and stepped onto the field.  
The rain covered him quickly but he didn't seem to notice. He peered around the field and spotted a large speck in the distance, his home. He ventured forward.  
Strands of blonde hair had escaped from Luna's braided bun. She slowed her run and came to a stop she wasn't aware of. In the distance she saw red. The figure was approaching quickly. Luna ran faster, to get closer to confirm her greatest wish.  
Soon Luna could see the white, wavy hair brushing above the shoulders, and she laughed in relief.  
"Dad!" she called. She felt giddy with happiness and stumbled on the uneven ground, making her look a bit drunk.  
"Luna!" Xeno called. He sprinted as fast as he could go, covering the distance in a blur.  
He embraced her in a spin, Luna clutching to him for her life, then a sharp pain stung her neck._

"You knew Xeno was still alive?" Alec asked.  
"I knew I was crazy, but I also knew I was right."  
"Then how can you talk to me?"  
"I don't know," Luna shook her head. "Maybe we've just evolved, telepathic communication isn't used much. Maybe it's because you're technically not Mortal either."  
A knock came on the door and it opened, not waiting for a reply. Jane was shocked at first to see Luna with a cut and tattered dress and completely loose hair but she didn't show it, instead she smiled maliciously.  
"What... the hell... did... you do?"  
Luna stood. "Something crazy." She smoothed her hair back, something she hadn't done in a very long time. "I need to go see the Brothers." She began walking for the door.  
"I'll come with you," Alec offered, standing.  
Luna shook her head with a grateful smile. "I better face them before they find me."

"Luna, you look terrible," Felix commented.  
"Thank you, I'm in a very crazy mood," she replied.  
Felix chuckled as he pushed open the Throne Room door.  
"Ah, Luna!" called Aro with a sigh. "We were just about to come find you!"  
Luna sighed inside. "Thought you would. I came to apologise for the mess I made, and I assure you it's all cleaned and back to normal," she said sincerely as she stopped in the middle of the room.  
"Jane has already enlightened us of the condition of our foyer," Caius drawled.  
Luna really had had enough of Caius. She resisted the urge to flip his chair over with her shadows. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Good. Then you already know there is not a piece of glass out of place."  
Caius turned his head to her and glared. "Then can you promise we'll see no more of your antics?"  
'_You want to talk about antics, Caius?_' Luna snarled to herself. "Of course not, Master."  
Caius scoffed. "Aro, this insolent child is a waste of our time. We should never have accepted her. She's been nothing but trouble-"  
"Only these past weeks for reasons completely out of her control," Aro countered gently.  
"Sorry you feel that way," Luna agreed.  
"Demitri, Felix!" Caius called.  
They began to walk forward.  
"Are you going to have me executed, Caius? How are you going to do that exactly?"  
Demitri reached out for her arm but passed right through her. They looked to Caius uncertainly.  
"You can't kill me."  
Marcus smirked quietly to himself and watched Caius out of the corner of his eye.  
"Go," Caius snarled.  
Luna smiled to Aro and he nodded back. She left and didn't look back.


End file.
